Don't Lose Yourself
by AngeloftheMorning1978
Summary: WARNING EROTICA! Fan request. In a dream, Arthur and Ariadne are lost in WW2 Paris.
1. Chapter 1

** Fan Request. Arthur and Ariadne are in WW2 Europe. I am not really good with historical detail or accuracy. But I will try my best. **

1.

~ Ariadne was sleeping peacefully when her cell phone gave off it's rude buzzing. It took several moments for the Architect to wake up and realize someone was calling her. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the caller ID.  
>"Cobb?" She said. Her voice groggy and half asleep.<br>"Sorry to have woken you." Cobb said. "We have a situation." The Extractor told her.

~ "Arthur's been under about four hours now." Yuseff told them.

Ariadne, her hair still a mess from her interrupted sleep, lifted the Point Man's head up and looked at his eyes batting back and forth under his closed lids.

"He's in the dream." She said gravely.

Arthur was slouched in his chair. His well tailored suit becoming wrinkled as the Point Man slept helplessly.

"Yes, and with the compound they were using, I'm not sure what you can expect." Yuseff said putting on his glasses and looking over the PASIV device.  
>"Who <em>are<em> these people?" She asked looking around the room. Three young men were also sharing the dream next to Arthur. All of them had gone under into the dream world.  
>"Well, that is Dax. We worked with him before. An American out of Boston. Best Extractor there is. Well, besides Cobb." Eames said with a grin.<br>Ariadne looked at the casually cool man beside Arthur.

"Have no idea who the other two are." The Forger said sadly.

"This compound is strange." Yuseff said looking over the device. "I've never seen one like this. There is no ground."

"What does that mean?" Ariadne asked as Cobb and Eames exchanged worried looks.  
>"It means the dreamer can't remember life before the dream. He thinks the dream is real."<p>

~ "You just _found_ them like this?" Ariadne whispered as Eames and Yuseff tried to 'kick' the Point Man out of his sleep. Nothing was working. The compound was too sedative.

"Yes, I came to close up the work shop and he was under with the rest of them. When I couldn't wake him, I called everyone in. It's not like Arthur to go into a job like this without telling us." Cobb explained.

"I know it's not." Ariadne said letting out a long sigh.

"Cobb, what are we going to do?" She asked. The Extractor looked at the Point Man, still sleeping peacefully after Eames had lightly tipped him over onto a floor mattress.

"The sedation is too heavy for them to be kicked out. Yuseff can't get the compound to time out." Cobb said. His voice sounding sad and far away.

"So, what do we do?" She hissed feeling her heart start to race.

~ "Go in?" Eames said. "We have no idea what's down there. Could be judgment day for all you know."

"He would do it for us." Cobb said rolling up his sleeve.

"You heard Yuseff, there is _no bottom_. We would go in and forget the waking world." Eames argued.

"We cant forget the waking world." Cobb said gravely.

"Right, well I'm sitting this out." Eames said.

"Fine." Cobb said not looking at the Forger as he handed Ariadne a line.

"I mean, your both _mental_ if you think you can convince him to come out. You have no idea even if you can wake up." Eames went on.

"I'll play the music ever ten minuets. That's every two hours in a normal dream." Yuseff told them. "Let you know when to wake up."

"Two hours in a normal dream, what about this one?" Ariadne asked securing her line.

"No way to tell. It might be hours or even days." Yuseff said somberly.

"Days!" Eames said. "You could lose yourself in there. Cobb, please don't do this." Eames said in a panic.

"Ready?" Cobb turned to Ariadne who nodded.  
>"Fine! I'll go, since you can't do this without me." Eames said quickly pulling free a line and settling himself in a nearby chair.<p>

"Don't lose yourself." Yuseff warned before their world faded to white oblivion.

~ "Everyone here?" Cobb's voice came to her ears. She turned to look at the Extractor.

"Cobb?" She let out a laugh. He gave her a curious look and finally looked down at himself. What was his normal handsome suites or casual shirts, was now an American Army officer's uniform.

"Huh." Cobb said examining himself more closely. Impressed but not totally shocked.  
>"Your a<em> Major<em>." Ariadne said with childish glee. Her hands running over the gold leafs on his uniform. "You look... very handsome." She finally decided.

"Well turn around and look at yourself." Cobb nodded behind her. Ariadne turned to see her shocking refection in a store window. She was bedecked, head to toe, in a nurses uniform. A large Red Cross emblem was sewn onto her arm band and white apron front. A pristine white nurses cap on top of her head.

Her hair was carefully curled and pinned away from her face in a style she had only seen in movies. Her lips, were painted a garish bright red that made her gawk at herself.

"Bloody hell!" Eames explained coming out of a near by ally and standing beside Ariadne. The Forger appraised himself admiringly. "I think I was born in the wrong generation. I look _good_."

Eames wasn't lying, he _did_ look handsome in the British officer's uniform. The green bringing out his eyes. The American officer's uniform on Cobb made the Extractor look even more arresting then any expensive suit could have.

'_Men in uniform always look good_.' Ariadne thought bitterly as she looked unhappily at her frumpy nurses' costume.  
>"You look cute as a button." Eames said gazing down at her wolfishly. "You can come by my bedside any time."<p>

"Enough." Cobb broke in as Ariadne gave Eames a filthy look. "We need to find Arthur and get him to wake up. He has to realize he's dreaming and then we can get him out."  
>"Cobb, what's going on?" Ariadne asked following the Extractor down the street. The three of them soon finding themselves in a crowd.<p>

She looked around, they were in Paris, she was sure of that, only nothing about_ her _Paris was here. The cars were old fashioned and there was very few of them. People were walking and many of them were French, English or American military.

"Cobb?" Ariadne asked as the Extractor walked steadily onward.  
>"Isn't it obvious, love?" Eames asked picking up a news paper from a nearby news stand. "Take a look."<p>

The Architect read the date.

"September, 1944." She said her mind rebelling against the information.

"Were in World War 2. Paris has just been freed from Hitler." He said.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

~ Ariadne was amazed by the way her Paris had changed. Buildings were here in the dream that she had never seen before. Walls built of sand bags and people were everywhere. Crowding the once fancy little shops and streets. People walking, people on bikes. To her horror Cobb and Eames had to pull her off the streets as a tank roared nosily by. Small boys chasing it with unrestrained joy.

The women were all looking at Cobb, the handsome American officer, and Eames was smiling like a kid in a candy store as he kept catching the eyes of the pretty girls. Ariadne swore she even heard a wolf whistle aimed at her from some American G I's sitting by an army Jeep. They quickly stopped their cat calling when Cobb threw them a scowl.

"Like the last days of Sodom and Gomorrah." Eames said with bright happy eyes. "I was defiantly born in the wrong time."

"Well, if we ever get out of here, you can always dream it back up again." Ariadne said squirming in her nurses uniform. It was uncomfortable and she felt she was wearing heavy clothing.

"Something wrong?" Eames asked.

Ariadne sighed. She could never lie to Eames. He always saw right through her.  
>"Fine, I'm just... not used to wearing this much underwear." She confessed. The bra she had on felt tight and restrictive, her panties felt like old lady underwear and that wasn't even including the slip, guarder belt and white stockings.<p>

Eames nodded.

"I can just imagine." He said not able to hold back a smile.

"I mean what do they think? A guys going to get tired of undressing you and give up?" She asked keeping a few paces behind Cobb so the Extractor wouldn't over hear.

"A real man never gets tired of undressing a lady. No matter how long it takes." The Forger assured her.

Cobb suddenly stopped outside a large restaurant. Or at least it had been a restaurant in Ariadne's Paris. Now, it was crowded with American G I's. The young men were so tightly packed in that there was very little room for the three of them to maneuver in.

"Cheer up doll face!" One gruff solider called out. "We got Hitler on the ropes!"

Ariadne felt a hard slap on her butt as the men around her burst out laughing.

Eames was standing behind her and promptly decked the soldier. Knocking him to the ground as his friends and comrades in arms started shouting happily at the promise of a fight.

"That's no way to treat a lady, Mate. Even if it is war time." Eames said moving over the solider as he shook off the stars the Forger had knocked out of him.

"Damn it, Eames." Cobb hissed. "Stay behind me." He whispered to her.

Ariadne felt herself huddle close behind Cobb as she was sure she was about to witness a horrible fight. Eames was alone and there had to be at least forty Americans there. All of them looking drunk and ready for a brawl.

The Forger seemed to sense this and looked worriedly at the faces of each man.

"Stand down!" Came a sharp, deep voice. All heads turned to see a man, beautifully suited, in a American Army uniform. Shinny silver Captain's bars on his shoulders.

"Privet." Arthur said calmly to the solider who had slapped Ariadne so rudely, and who now lay bloodied on the floor. "Stand up and apologize to the lady."

Ariadne stood in shock at the image of Arthur in uniform. If Cobb had looked handsome, Arthur looked like he was _made_ to wear this pleasing combination of brown and khaki. Bright colored ribbons were heavily pinned on his chest and he carefully held his hat in his hand as their former Point Man wore and livid scowl.

The rude privet picked himself off the ground and stumbled over to Ariadne.

"I... I'm sorry ma'am." He said sincerely. "I had too much to drink. Not who I am, or what my Captain expects of me." He said nodding respectfully to Arthur.

"Go back to the barracks." Arthur order him. "You men, see to it he get's there." He nodded to the others that were crowding the restaurant.

Just like that, the room cleared of most of the G I's. The single girls that were left looked disappointed.

"Arthur." Cobb said breathing a sigh of relief at finally finding their Point Man.

Arthur turned to Cobb and took in his uniform and rank.

"I didn't realize we were on first name basis, sir." Arthur said stiffly extending his hand. "Major?" He asked wanting to know Cobb's name.

"Um, Cobb. I... I'm Major Dominic Cobb." The Extractor fumbled.

"I assume you don't want me to call you Dominic in front of your men. I would ask you to not call me by my first name in front of mine, sir." Arthur said respectfully. "Have you been sent here by Patton?"

"Um, yes. We have. Just got here." Cobb said playing along.

Ariadne cast Eames a worried look. The Forger let out a long breath.

Arthur, was lost to the dream.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

~ "Ma'am. You will have to excuses my men." Arthur told Ariadne as he escorted the four of them to a more privet part of the restaurant. "It's been along time since we have had the chance to be around..." Their Point Man looked uncomfortable. "Well, since they were around a very fine... um... lady like yourself."

Ariadne couldn't help her brows rising up as Eames bit his lip to keep from laughing. Arthur always had impeccable manners when he spoke to her, but this was on a whole new level of gentlemanly behavior.  
>He pulled out her chair and asked her permission to buy her a drink.<br>"Thank you." She said feeling her face flush.

"After were done here, I'll walk you back to the hospital or your dormitory. Streets still are not safe for young ladies unescorted." Arthur said as the waitress brought them drinks.

"That's very kind of you, Captain. Thank you." Ariadne told him as Eames was fanning himself with a napkin. Casting her a goofy grin.

"Is everything alright, _Lieutenant_?" Arthur said stiffly to the Forger. Eames seemed to notice his rank for the first time.

"Oh, fine. I'm fine." He said. Shrugging off the fact that he was the lowest ranking officer at the table.

"Sir, may I ask why you brought a Red Cross nurse with you?" Arthur asked Cobb.

"Oh, um... I have my reasons, Captain." Cobb said.

"The Brit?" Arthur said taking a sip of water. Even in the dream, Arthur never drank.

Eames raised his brow in mild indignation, but he was having too much fun to bite back.  
>"That's on a need to know basis as well." Cobb said. The Extractor's talents at bluffing and conning were finding him again.<p>

"Very well." Arthur said with a shrug.

"How long have you been in Paris, Captain?" Cobb asked eying the Point Man carefully.

"Since August." Arthur said. "Sir, you should know that. Were the 3rd."

"You and those boys liberated Paris?" Eames said not hiding being impressed.

"We certainly didn't do it alone." Arthur said humbly.  
>"How long have you been in the war?" Cobb asked.<p>

"Sir?" Arthur asked baffled.

"How long have you been in the Army, Captain?" Cobb asked instead.  
>"I graduated college after Pearl. I enlisted right away." Arthur told him. "I was sent to Europe because I speak French and German." He explained formally.<br>"Very good." Cobb said taking on the air and confidence of a true Army Major.  
>"Sir, are you my replacement?" Arthur asked. "I just sent my report into command. They seemed more then pleased with our round up of the Nazis so far."<p>

"I'm not you replacement." Cobb assured him. "You've done a fine job. We just needed to check on you."

"Check on me?" Arthur repeated.

"Arthur." Ariadne said. Her voice soft and pleading. The type of voice she knew the Point Man responded to. He turned to her, his face softening.  
>"I want you to think back. Do you remember us? Do you remember me?" She asked him.<p>

"Ma'am, I would remember you. If we had ever met before." He said gently. Locking eyes with her.  
>"What's all this about?" Arthur snapped his head up to Cobb.<p>

"Solider, do you trust me?" Cobb asked.

"Of course, Sir." Arthur said immediately.  
>"If I were to tell you that this world, this Paris your in right now is not real, would you believe me and not question it?" Cobb asked in a hushed voice. The Team leaning over the table, conspiratorial whispers coming from their lips.<br>"I don't understand, Sir." Arthur said.  
>"If I were to tell you, the past few years... this war. It was just a dream. Would you trust me?" Cobb said.<p>

Ariadne looked worriedly at the Point Man. Arthur's face was serious.

'_Remember Arthur, please remember us._' She thought.

"Sir, I would like to take the lady home now." Arthur said standing up.

~ Ariadne allowed Arthur to walk her to one of the older hospitals in the city. It was the only one she could think of off hand. Her memory of Paris becoming fuzzy. She knew in the real world that it had been a museum to medicine and war, but during the world wars, it had been an active and state of the art facility.

"I need you to be careful when you go out. Please, don't go out alone." He was telling her. "Don't let our troops fool you. There are still plenty on dangers for a nice lady like yourself." He warned looking at his shoes.

"Thank you." She said. "Thank you for walking me home. I don't recognize Paris anymore." She laughed at herself.

"You were here before the war?" He asked conversationally.

"Um, yes. I was a student. Before all of this." She said not exactly lying.  
>"Really, what subjects?" He asked interested.<br>"Architecture." She told him.

"Strange choice for a woman." He commented.  
>"Excuse me?" She said. Clearly insulted. Arthur was not the gentleman he appeared to be.<p>

"I'm sorry." He said as she walked slightly in front of him. "It's just... I haven't meet many ladies like yourself since the start of the war. Your a lot different then..." his sentence trailed off.

She cast him a worried look.  
>"How am I different?" She asked at last. Hoping he would remember her. He shrugged and looked at the mass of smiling civilians. All of them happy to see the good looking American officer.<p>

"I see a lot of pretty girls. No beautiful girls. I see a lot of smart girls, but not intelligent ones." He said honestly. "Your a big improvement on what I'm used to seeing."

Ariadne felt her cheeks flush.  
>"Thank you." She said as they started walking again.<p>

"Why did you join the Red Cross?" He asked politely.  
>"My mother was a nurse." She said instantly. "I always admired her. What she did during the great war."<p>

'_Where did that come from?_' Ariadne thought. '_My mother sold real estate._'

Arthur nodded.  
>"My father and uncles were in the great war as well. I lost a brother at Pearl. Another one in the South Pacific last year." He told her.<p>

"I'm sorry." She said. Her heart knowing that Arthur believed he had lost family in the war. Not understanding it was only a dream.

_Wasn't it?_

"You know, the Nazis, their not above killing nurses. Even if their Red Cross." Arthur said nodding to her uniform. "I don't want to scare you, but maybe you should go to England. The bombing has died down some I hear."

"Hitler's bombs didn't scare me. I was there for the blitz. Only cowards throw bombs at women and children. Once you realize that, you see that their nothing but bullies." She told him.

'_The blitz? What am I saying?_' She thought worriedly. Even now, her memory conjuring up images of herself helping the wounded after a particularly nasty air raid. Telling a child exactly what she had told Arthur. It seemed so real. Was it real?

"Very true." He agreed. "Must have been terrifying, to have been there.

'_It was._' She thought.  
>"Arthur." She said instead. He turned to her and smiled softly.<br>"I... um... I'm afraid I don't know your name." He said sheepishly.  
>"It's Ariadne." She said with a blush.<p>

"Ariadne." He repeated.

"Arthur, what if there was a way you could leave all this behind? Leave this war and wake up safe and sound. Would you do it?" She asked him.  
>"Ariadne, if it was that simple, I would do it. Nothing would please me more then to have unseen the horrors of the past three years. We are winning this war, that's how we will 'wake up safe and sound'." he told her.<p>

She sighed. The Point Man not realizing the dream. Not remembering her. Her own memories of the real world fading away with shocking speed.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

~ "Who was that officer you were with?" Trixie asked teasingly that evening. Ariadne stood in their crowded dormitory with the ten other nurses as she was undressing. Her slip still covering the heaps of underthings she had yet to take off.

The Architect looked away and pretended not to understand.  
>"What do you mean?" She asked as she peeled off her stocking and felt the cold floor on her swollen feet. She had just gotten off a long shift in the recovery ward. Her mind still hurting over cleaning wounds and hearing men crying in pain.<p>

"You know what I mean!" Trixie said brushing back her platinum blond curls. The pretty nurse looking like a grown up Shirley Temple.  
>"The Army Captain? The one who asked what time your shift ended tomorrow?" Trixie asked.<p>

Ariadne turned and smiled at her friend. Memories filling her head of spending long hours in the shelter with Trixie as they bandaged the wounded. Trixie was a good nurse and cool under pressure, but felt the war was a wonderful chance to meet men. She had met many men so far.

"His name is Arthur." Ariadne said finally as she sensed the other girls were listening. "He's with the third." She told the girls who went into a fit of giggling.

"_This_ Arthur?" A new girl with glasses said tossing Ariadne a French Newspaper. Ariadne's French wasn't very good and she stumbled over the story of the American forces and their liberation of Paris. She looked at the flattering candid shot of her solider. Arthur looking angry, but still handsome with his Captain's bars.

"Says he's going to get the Distinguished Service Cross." The new girl with glasses said. "Pretty big deal. Being a hero and all."

"He and his men flushed out an entrenched group of Nazis and rescued 300 POWs." Ariadne said breathlessly. Her eyes reading the story in disbelief. Arthur hadn't said a word about it.

"He's a hero?" Trixie gasped over whelmed by the romance of it. "An honest to God hero was walking you home?" She put her hand to her heart as if she could die happily at that moment.

~ Ariadne had never in her life worked as a nurse before. Yet, somehow, the work was easy. She knew just the right words to say to comfort the scared and angry young men. She wasn't afraid or upset at the idea of the wounded being broken before her. She did all the less then glamorous jobs that came with nursing. Helping the young men to the bathroom as they apologized, embarrassed at their own helplessness.

"Thank God for the penicillin." The Doctor was saying. "Without it, there would be a lot more dead."  
>"Yes doctor." Ariadne said as she thought about her handsome Captain. Hoping he would be waiting for her when she got off duty.<p>

"Ariadne." Trixie hissed in her ear. Her eyes were bright with excitement. "There are two men to see you downstairs. Asked for you by name."

"Who are they?" Ariadne asked.  
>"One of them is an American Major and the other is a Brit. See if their single." Trixie told her. "Don't worry, I'll cover for you."<p>

'_Why would an Officer come here to see me?_' She thought as she went downstairs.

Her memory came back to her as she saw Cobb and Eames.

"Cobb." She said forcing herself not to hug her old friends. Wounded men and nurses were watching them.  
>"How did it go with Arthur yesterday?" Cobb asked her and the three of them went to a quieter place to talk.<p>

"He's lost here. He thinks he lost a brother at Pearl Harbor, another off the Sea of Japan." She sighed helplessly. Cobb looked annoyed.  
>"Well, we found Dax." Eames said. "He's a Lieutenant under Arthur's command. The two seem pretty chummy. Dax appears to be lost as well."<p>

"We think we also found the other guy from the warehouse." Cobb said pulling free a newspaper clipping. It showed a picture of a frightened looking German officer.

"One of the Nazis Arthur and his men captured." She said reading the article.

"We need to find out what's going on. We have no idea who we can trust." Cobb said slipping the newspaper clipping back into his breast pocket. Ariadne wanted to show them her own clipping of Arthur getting the cross, but didn't say a word. The clipping tucked safely in an envelope inside her stocking.  
>"Well, we can trust Arthur." Ariadne said. "If he trusts Dax, then I think we can trust him to."<p>

"Any sign of the last fellow?" Eames asked.

Ariadne suddenly remembered.  
>"Yes!" She almost shouted. "He's a doctor here! I just spoke to him." She said marveling as how she could have missed it.<p>

"Stay on him then." Cobb ordered.  
>"Cobb?" She said as the two of them prepared to leave her.<p>

She took a deep breath.

"Cobb, I'm remembering things that I _know_ never happened to me. I remember being in London during the Blitz and just now, I completely forgot about you two and that this was just a dream." Ariadne confessed feeling ashamed of herself.

"I know." Cobb said. "Just this morning at formation, I forgot it was dream too." The Extractor told her. "I remember where I was when I heard about Pearl, when I heard the stock market had crashed." He said with a laugh.

"I was dating a lovely gal who worked with the ARP back home." Eames chimed in. "We have to be careful. Keep a firm grasp on our totems and keep each other strait." Eames said warningly.

Ariadne nodded and tried to hold back her tears.  
>"Ariadne?" Came a deep voice. The Architect turned in surprise to see Arthur standing in the front lobby of the hotel. The wounded men and nurses no longer pretending to not watch the four of them.<p>

"Arthur." She said in shock. Her eyes drinking in greedily the sight of him. He looked impossibly handsome, his hat in his hand, a small arrangement of flowers in the other.  
>"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Arthur said.<p>

"We were just leaving." Eames said giving Cobb a shove out of the hospital.

Arthur watched his two former Team mates leave before he turned to her.

"Um, well... I brought these for you." He fumbled shyly handing her the wild flowers. "Sorry their not roses or anything fancy. It's war time."

"Their lovely." She told him still smelling the freshness of the outdoors and sunshine on green grass. Sensing her Point Man turned Captain had picked them himself.

"I was hoping I could take you out for a show. The Army just got a movie in to boost moral. 'Bambi' I think it is. Kids movie, but their showing it to officers first. I thought you might like to see it." He said running his fingers over his hat brim nervously.

"I would love to see it." She said excitedly. "Let me go tell my charge nurse, and then I'll change clothes." She said looking over the nurses uniform that made her feel like her grandma.

~ "Taking you to see a picture show?" Trixie said pulling free a bright red dress from a closet as the new girl with glasses expertly curled Ariadne's hair.

"That dress is too tight!" Ariadne said as Trixie unzipped the back and motioned for her to step into it.

"I know." Trixie said as she and the girl in the glasses giggled helplessly.

Despite the tight red dress, Trixie managed to zip her up. The dress, borrowed from another girl without her permission or knowledge, forced Ariadne's breasts to swell together and she was starting to think there was something to this era of fashion.

~ She descended the stairs just in time to see Arthur visiting with a wounded solider. The Captain standing up at seeing her gracefully come to meet him.

"You look..." He said lost for words as he fumbled his hat again. His words obviously lost to him. "You look very nice." He said at last.

The wounded young man let out a long whistle.

"More then nice, Captain." He said. Ariadne smiled at him. He was a pleasant young man who had been wounded and was recovering.

"Thank you." She told Arthur.

"Shall we go?" Arthur asked holding out his arm. She was set to take it when the wounded solider extended his hand.  
>"Thank you again, Captain. You saved my life. You truly did." He said shaking Arthur's hand.<p>

"It was nothing, Privet." Arthur said looking embarrassed.  
>"Not nothing. Your a hero, Sir. You have yourself a fine man here." He nodded to her. Ariadne only smiled and nodded.<p>

'_I know_.' She thought as Arthur puller her away from the wounded man and his praise.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

~ "Was he a friend of yours?" Ariadne asked once the movie had let out. The couple had to race to make it to the screening in time. Arthur introducing her to the other officers there. All of them pleasant and most of them with dates for the evening despite obvious wedding bands on their fingers.

'_Girl in every port_.' she thought.

"Not really, just one of the men I met when we came into Paris." Arthur said steering her safely away from the crowds. "Did you enjoy the movie?" He asked.

"Yes, although it was very sad when Bambi's mother was shot." Ariadne confessed. "Makes me wish my Dad never went deer hunting."

'_My Dad never went deer hunting, he was an asthmatic accountant._' She thought. The real world becoming more faded.

"I noticed when you were talking to the Major and the Lieutenant that you seemed sad. Did they... say anything to upset you?" He asked keeping his eyes away from her.

Arthur was never good at hiding his real emotions. She found it amusing that he was jealous of Eames and Cobb.

"Oh, they were just telling me news of the war. It's all so depressing and... sad." She lied quickly.

"I assume you mean the death camps. Did you have family here in Europe?" He asked.  
>"We haven't heard from them since before the war started." She said wondering where that had come from. Her world, her past, was changing. "So it's true then? What they say on the radio, about the death camps? All those people, a lot of them children?"<p>

Arthur sighed.  
>"Let's not talk about that right now." He said trying to smile. "Were beating back Hitler, and like you said, he's just a bully. All bullies are cowards."<p>

He reached out and took her hand. She ran her thumb over the warm callused skin on his battle scared palms.

"You look really pretty tonight." He said when they had reached a less populated part of the street.  
>"Thank you." She said with a smile. "Borrowed dress." She admitted.<p>

She bit her lip and glanced at him as they stopped and looked appreciatively at the view of the Eiffel tower.  
>"I read about you in the paper. Your getting the cross for what you did for those men. One of them was that man at the hospital, wasn't he?" She asked finally.<p>

Arthur looked away. Shaking his head.

"Medals and honors. They really don't mean that much. In war time, they give them away like candy." He said.

"No, they don't." Ariadne said sharply. He looked at her. "I read about what you did. You didn't have to rescue those men. You took a group of 20 soldiers and lost five of them to save those prisoners. Everyone had thought they were dead. Most of those prisoners were not even Americans but British and French."

"And I would throw that hunk of metal in the river if it would bring those five men back as well as all the other good men I've seen die." Arthur said. "I don't want medals and glory."

"Why not?" She asked feeling confused.

He sighed.

"The only reason you get medals and honors... is so you can show them to your sons one day and they can know what kind of man you are. Or were." he said. "I never married. I have no sons."

Ariadne was quite for a long time as he looked out over the pristine view.

"When the war is over maybe? You'll go home. Find a nice, well endowed, corn feed girl who will give you lots of strapping boys. All of them with big teeth." She teased him as her heart broke.

He couldn't stop a smile from coming to his face.

"That sounds awful." He said with a laugh.

"Oh come now, you can call them Larry, Moe and the little one can be Curly." She teased as her Captain's face broke into another smile. He was suddenly pulling her into his arms. Ariadne found herself holding her breath, her heart speeding up as she felt her chest rise up to meet him. Her skin wanting to brush against the fabric of his uniform. Feel the coldness of his Captain's bars on her hot flesh.

"And what about you?" He asked. His lips hovering near hers.  
>"What... what about me?" She asked.<p>

"Will you go home after the war ends? Maybe study architecture in Paris again? Marry some spoiled classmate who calls you Pet. A guy who never had to spill blood in the mud? You two can join some country club, play golf all day." He breathed. His lips so close to hers now. So very close she was trembling in fear and want.  
>"That life sounds awful." She said honestly. Holding back a smile at the idea.<p>

"What kind of life do you want then?" He asked. His eyes raking over her face.

"One where I could draw and paint. One where, my husband loved me. Just the way I am. One where my children only know about war from history books." She said. The words coming easily from her lips. "History books... and their father's stories." She finished bravely.

He was still holding her fast. His arms so strong against her helpless body.  
>"Your children can look at their father's medals, know what kind of man he was." he finished her sentence.<br>"What kind of man he _is_." She said not looking away from the eyes boring into her heart.

He was kissing her then. His lips, warm and perfect. His hot breath roaming around her ears and neck as he burned and branded her with his hungry need.

"Arthur." She gasped as she managed to break free. Heat coming to her face as she fought weakly against her strong Captain. "We just met yesterday." She managed to get out before his lips were on hers again. Her poor body weak to him as the needs of her flesh over took her.

"I know." He breathed tasting her lips. Delving deeper into her. Not willing to let her go.

Slowly, with sheer strength of will, he released her. She was breathing hard as the handsome Captain eased her back down from their heated exchange.

"Forgive me." He said softly. His breathing just as labored as hers.

"Nothing to forgive." She said. Still feeling the tingle of warmth on her lips. "Is this how all officers treat local girls?" She asked remembering the other officers with their dates, despite being married men.

He looked at her. Such a strange, angry look on his face as he seemed to read her thoughts.

"I'm not like that." Arthur said. "I don't-"

"I know your not. I'm sorry." She said interrupting him. Ashamed that she had even suggested it. "But war time is different." She said defending herself.

"Yes, but the war won't last forever. I have orders this morning were moving our men further in soon. The Germans are retreating, we have to advance." He said.

"You'll be leaving Paris?" She asked. He nodded.

"Life of a solider. Never stay anywhere long." He said with a grim smile. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?" She asked coyly. His arms relaxed a little and she was able to step slightly out of his arms.

"Do you go out a lot, with the soldiers I mean?" He asked looking back at the view.

She had to smile and answered honestly.  
>"No. I don't go out with any soldiers." She told him.<br>"Not ever?" He asked skeptical. She shrugged.

"I've been busy." She said with a grin.

~ They went to a small cafe for dinner as dusk fell over the city. The hurried movements of the people wandering over the streets were unlike anything Ariadne had seen in her Paris before. She and Arthur talked pleasantly over simple things. Easy things that had nothing to do with war or the rumors of death camps and horrors beyond Paris.

He walked her back to her dormitory. His warm, war weary hand clasping hers.

"May I call on you tomorrow?" He asked. She only nodded and he kissed her hand before letting her go.

~ That evening, Ariadne fitted the news article about Arthur into her silver compact. One of the few artifacts she had kept through the war. She snugly secured the fine picture of her Captain against the backing. Making it into a frame for his photo.

She nestled into her bed and left her compact resting open on her night stand. She fell asleep and woke up next to his face.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

~ She woke up in the morning, hearing music.

'_Arthur's wake up music._' She thought dully as she didn't want to leave the nest of coverings that kept away the chill. She looked at her night stand. Her handsome Captain was still there in her capact. His face comforting her as his eyes seemed to linger on her. She smiled and pulled her covers over her body. Imagining them in bed together.

"Ariadne, get up!" Trixie said slapping her legs playfully. "Didn't you hear? We've got wounded!"

~ The Architect was out of bed quickly. Pulling on her white stockings and fumbling with her hair and hat.

Downstairs, their was a mass of burned and bloodied men. Ariadne hardly seeing their faces as they shouted at her in pain and fear. The nurses could discern from the panicked voices that there had been a bombing.

"These men are with the 3rd." The Doctor said as he ordered morphine to be dolled out. "Some Nazi set off a device inside their barracks. Nurse, watch that clamp!" He shouted.

"The 3rd?" Ariadne asked as she dropped the clamps and cursed at herself.

"My Captain is in the 3rd." She whispered at Trixie.

"I'll ask around." Trixie said and vanishing among the wounded.

It felt like they were there for days. Over a dozen men died from burns and other wounds. Ariadne was helping the nurses wrap the bodies tightly in white sheets when Cobb found her.

"Ariadne." Cobb said coming behind her.  
>"Cobb!" She said looking the the Major. He looked disheveled and nothing like his pristine self.<br>"Arthur-, I mean, the Captain?" She asked as she looked at the cut on his face.  
>"He was wounded. Nothing to serious." Cobb said. "Their bringing him in now. Ariadne, they got him. It was one of the men who was in the work shop with Arthur and Dax. The one from the newspaper clipping I showed you. The man in the Nazi uniform that Arthur and his men captured. He escaped and set off a bomb in the barracks. Arthur wasn't there when it blew, but he lead a platoon out to find him."<p>

"Did they?" She asked fearing that her Captain had killed the villain. Then fearing he didn't.

"Yes, they executed him." Cobb said. "I think he might be in Limbo now. The sedatives are so heavy. Were just now hearing the wake up music. God only knows how long time is down here. We need to wake Arthur up right now."

"Wake him up?" Ariadne asked not understanding. "Is he unconscious?" She asked. "And what do you mean one of the men in the workshop? What workshop?

The Major gave her a worried look.  
>"Ariadne-" He started to say when Eames and other soldiers burst into the ward rolling a gurney.<p>

"We need help here!" The Lieutenant called out.  
>"Calm down, son." The Doctor said strolling over to the young men as if he had all the time in the world. "We have a lot of wounded here."<p>

"This man is a priority." Cobb said. His voice strong.

The Doctor didn't even glance at the Major as he looked over the soldier's wound.  
>"Nurse, prep him. Its a deep stab wound." He said. Ariadne looked over at the solider. His soiled uniform, covered with dirt and blood. Her Captain was almost unrecognizable.<p>

"Arthur?" She said with a weary smile. Relief flooding her as she saw he was awake.  
>"I'll be fine." The Captain said holding his bleeding shoulder. "Just a scratch."<p>

"I agree." The Doctor said. "Still have to debreed it and stitch it up. Cant allow it to get septicemic. We still need you, Captain."  
>"My men?" Arthur asked.<p>

"Most of them will be back in action after a good rest." The Doctor said. "I saved as many as I could."

"How many?" Arthur asked as Ariadne tried to cut away the dirty uniform. Exposing a nasty knife wound. "How many didn't make it?"  
>"Over a dozen." The Doctor said gravely. "Now, we need to worry about the living. Nothing we can do for the dead." he said wisely.<p>

~ "It's nothing." Arthur said as Ariadne cleaned the wound as best she could. She had embarrassingly helped the Captain undress. Suddenly feeling shy around an almost naked man where before, they had never bothered her.

The Captain was likewise hesitant to let her see him nearly free of clothing, but not able to undress himself because of the large gash on his arm.

"Some second date, huh?" he joked and winced as she came too close to the wound.

"That Nazi, he set the bomb? He did this to you?" She asked.  
>"Him and his friends." Arthur said as the doctor came into the small surgical room. It was little better then a exam room but Arthur's wounds were not so sever as to need something bigger.<p>

"We took care of him." The Captain whispered to her. "He won't be coming back."

"I'm glad." She whispered back. And she meant it.

The Doctor gave Arthur a local shot to numb the pain and cut away the tissue that might become septic. Carefully stitching him up. Ariadne keeping a worried eye on her soldier's poor war battered body. She had seen other freshly healed scars on him when she was helping him change.

"That's you done." The doctor said peeling off his gloves. "Nurse, apply the dressing and I'll bring him something for the pain."  
>"No drugs, Doctor." Arthur told him.<p>

"Son, you survived a bombing and chased that Nazi son of a bitch down. He stabbed you. You need to rest. Your no good to your men like this." The doctor told him.

Arthur sighed and nodded.  
>"Good. Would have hated to have called the Major in on you." The Doctor said in a friendly tone. "You'll be fine. I imagine they'll want to give you another medal for today, along with another purple heart. You become anymore honored and you'll tip over."<p>

Ariadne couldn't stop the giggle. Arthur gave her an annoyed look.

"It was funny." She said with a smile as the doctor left the room.

"Come here." He said pulling her close to him. She let him move her slight body into his. Even with a sever knife wound to his left arm, he was still strong and easily lead he where he wanted to go.

She could barely contain a smile as he kissed her sweetly on the lips. Her face blushing red at the memory of helping him undressing before. She pulled away from the chaste kissing. Her hands roaming up his shoulders and kissing his forehead.

"Is that all a wounded solider gets from a pretty nurse?" He asked playfully.

"I thought you said I was beautiful." She teased him leaning back pretending to be angry.

"My apologies ma'am." He said. His fine eyes sparkling with a certain mischief. "I was just expecting some kind of gratitude for you know, being a hero and all." He said. His voice boyish and cocky.

She laughed.  
>"I thought you weren't looking for medals or honors." She said tormenting him. Her lips, aching to touch his again.<p>

"I'm not." He said pulling her to him. Their kiss was warm and easy. Arthur applying that soft, gentle pressure that was quickly leaving her breathless and her head swimming. She found herself wishing she wasn't wearing so much old lady under things under her nurses uniform. Wishing she had nice things for him to see.

'_When the war is over_.' She told herself as his lips moved down her neck and she let out a soft moan of pleasure.

"I kept thinking, what if he had bombed the hospital? What if it had been you he hurt?" Arthur said hoarsely in her ear as she was kissing him. Soothing his worries.

"He didn't. Were safe." She whispered as his good hand trailed down her neck and to her breast.

The door opened, interrupting the would be lovers.

"_Nurse_." The doctor said sternly to Ariadne. "Captain, the Major wishes to see you." He said standing in the doorway.

Ariadne flushed red with embarrassment. She was as bad as Trixie at this moment. War or no war, it was a serious breech of protocol to have a romance with a wounded solider under her care.

She wiped her lips as the Doctor scowled at her. Brushing off the sinfulness of Arthur's kiss. She found herself fixing her uniform and worried her mess hair betrayed the heated time she and her Captain had just spent.

She might just as well write 'Easy' on her forehead.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

~ "Eames, you are having way too much fun here." Cobb said. His arms folded over his chest. The two of them had been drafted into giving blood for the wounded men. A cute blond nurse with Shirley Temple curls bending over the Forger and giggling at his jokes the whole time.

When they were finally released, they asked the doctor to tell Arthur they wanted to see him.

"Why not?" Eames asked. "My grandfather was in the RAF. Granny built planes. My whole family had stories of the war. I always admired them for it. This was a moment in history, never to come again, and now I get to see what they saw." Eames had a happy little grin on his face as a pair of pretty nurses walked past him.

"Ladies." He said with a little bow. The nurses giggled at the handsome British Lieutenant.

"Did you hear the wake up music this morning?" Cobb asked.

"Sure did. Right after that bomb went off. Thought it was the dream collapsing." Eames said getting back to the matter at hand.

"Arthur shot one of the people he was sharing the dream with. The Nazi. He's in limbo." Cobb said worriedly. "We won't be able to get him back now."

"Glad the Captain shot and killed the bastard. And Limbo's too good for the likes of him. After his kind bombed us for years. Hell is where he belongs. The Captain let the others live to face trial. If I had my way, I would shoot the lot of them. Be done with it." Eames said looking over at the wounded soldiers.

"Eames?" Cobb said casting the Forger a worried look.

"Yes Major?" The Lieutenant said looking up at Cobb.

Cobb said nothing as he worried over losing not only Ariadne, but Eames as well. The compound in the dream making his entire Team lose themselves. Forgetting who they really were.

"There he is!" Eames said clasping his hands in joy at see Arthur hobble out of the exam room. "Man of the hour. Let me buy you a pint." He said.

"He's on pain medication." Ariadne said. "No drinking."

"A pint isn't _drinking_, Darling." Eames said rationally.

"No drinking, Lieutenant!" She said sharply.  
>"Best do what the lady says." Arthur said with a laugh. To Cobb, he nodded respectfully. "Major."<p>

"Captain." Cobb said looking over his three former Team members. All of them quickly losing ground in the the dream. No longer able to remember the real world. "Did the prisoner tell you anything before you shot him?" Cobb asked.

Arthur turned to Ariadne.  
>"Thank you, nurse." he said.<p>

Ariadne understood that he was not dismissing her. He just didn't want her to hear the details of his report. After she went back to the ward, Arthur briefed the Major.

"Sir, after the bomb went off, I went after the prisoner as well as three others. A few of my men helped me give chase. The three were quickly apprehended, the one who stabbed me was yelling something that didn't make any sense. He was most likely disturbed. Dehydrated. I've seen dehydration or shell shock before. Makes people say crazy things."

"What did he _say_, Captain?" Cobb said in a commanding tone.

"He said I had to wake up, sir. That this world was not real." Arthur said with a shrug.

"Did you believe him? That this world was not real?" Cobb asked. His voice serious and his scowl deep.

"Sir, at times I wish this war wasn't real. That I could wake up and it was all just a bad dream." Arthur said rationally. "But we can't think like that and hope to win this war."

~ "What you Yanks lack in brains, civility and good looks, you more then make up for in bravery." Eames said guiding the injured Captain to the nearby pub.

"What do you think the Major meant when he asked if I thought this world was real?" Arthur asked. "You think he's trying to section 8 me?" Arthur asked.

"No idea what that means." Eames said. Ordering a round. "Have a drink with me."

"Water please, I'm on pain meds." Arthur said sitting stiffly in the nearby chair. Many of the enlisted men nodding appreciatively at him. "Section 8 means I'm not fit for military service based on metal defect." Arthur explained lighting a cigarette. His lungs crying out for tobacco.

"I don't see that." Eames said honestly.  
>"So tell me." Arthur said puffing out a white cloud of smoke. "Major Cobb, you and he are always talking to that nurse, Ariadne. Is there something going on between them?" he asked.<p>

"You like her?" Eames asked as a pitcher of beer arrived and a glass of water for the wounded Captain.

Arthur didn't answer and looked away.

"I could see that. You two make a cute couple." Eames said. "As for her and the Major, I don't think so. He's all business. Although I'm not sure what that business is really."

"Your always with him." Arthur pointed out.  
>"I don't know what's in that man's head. He talks crazy sometimes. Just now babeling on about Limbo and how that Nazi is now in Limbo. Religious I guess. But then Who isn't in war time? Me, I'm just a poor, lonely Lieutenant in her majesty's army." Eames said. "I left a cute little thing back home. I want more then anything to get back to her and raise a litter of fat, little bastards." Eames said lighting his own cigarette.<p>

"Cheers." Arthur said clinking glasses with the foul mouthed Lieutenant. His mind working over the Major and this new information.

~ Ariadne was late in finally getting off the ward. She had stayed and help the night shift nurses clean up after the hectic day. The women all working well together as they gossiped happily. Talking of nothing but the handsome American Captain who had killed that Nazi that threw a bomb in the barracks of sleeping men.

She was feeling hot, sweaty and tired and ready to take a long bath when she spotted her Captain sitting in the stair way of the lobby.

"The girls keep talking about this wonderful American Captain who chased down a Nazi and saved the day." She said.

He chuckled and winced as he stood up.

"Did you tell them I was taken?" He asked.  
>"Are you?" She teased helping him to stand.<p>

"Well, I'd like to be." he said honestly and her cheeks felt warm.

"Were you waiting to see the doctor? Do you need more pain medication?" She asked.

"No, I'm here to see you." He said looking down at the hat in his hands. The Captain had redressed in his finely tailored dress uniform. His wounded arm in a sling. Arthur looked at it, disgusted with his injury.

"I wanted to ask you about he Major." He said.

"What about him?"

"How did you meet him? How long have you known him?" Arthur asked.

Ariadne frowned. Searching her memory.

"You know, I don't really remember. I think I met him on the street, a tank almost hit me. He told me to follow him and I did. Then I met you." She said honestly.

"He keeps coming to see you. What for?" Arthur asked.  
>"There's nothing going on with us." She said with a sincere smile.<p>

"I know that, but he came to talk to you yesterday before our date. What did he say to you?" Arthur asked.  
>"I think we talked about the war. He asked about you a lot." She told him.<p>

"What about me? Be specific." Arthur said looking at her intently.

"Wanted to know if you were alright. If you..." She tried to remember. "I think he wanted to know if you were lost. That doesn't make any sense."

"Listen, from now on, when ever you see the Major, avoid him. If he talks to you, make any excuses to leave. Something's wrong here." The Captain said.

"Arthur what is it? What's wrong?" She said. Her heart beating wildly.  
>"Major Cobb, he doesn't act like a Major at all. He has almost no knowledge of how the US Army works. Then we have German prisoners escape, and he only has a cut when so many of our men were badly hurt and killed?" Arthur fumed. His face angry. "My Lieutenant Dax has told me he asks him the most bizarre questions and our friend, Lieutenant Eames? He said the Major seemed to be worried about the German prisoner we shot today. Worried he's in Limbo."<p>

"Arthur, you don't think... I mean, the Major couldn't be a German _spy_ could he?" Ariadne said. Her eyes widening at the very idea of it.

"Just keep your distance from him. Let me handle this." Arthur said.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

~ Ariadne felt her head swim over what Arthur's fears. Her worries of who Major Cobb really was, that she barely heard the Doctor's instruction the next day.

"In less then a weeks time, we will be advancing behind the Army as they make another push further into Hitler's Europe. They will need nurses to attend all the wounded. Red Cross is all about volunteers. Do I have any _volunteers_ to go with me?"

She was raising her hand numbly remembering her Captain wounded just a day before. She wanted to be there if he was hurt again. The Doctor nodded to her and smiled.

~ "You did _what_?" Arthur barked. His attention fully on her.  
>"I volunteered to go to the front with you and the rest of the army." She said. They were walking in the park. She had just gotten off duty and had barely had time to change before her Captain was there to take her for a walk. She wore one of her own dresses this time. A simple blue frock with tiny red and gold flowers printed on it.<br>"Go back to the hospital, and say you changed your mind. I don't want you at the front." He said.

"I'm not in the Army, _Captain_." She said casually. "You can't give me orders."

"Then I'm asking you." His voice lowered and pleading. "Please go back and tell him your not going. The front is no place for you." Arthur said trying to compose himself.

"I've been on the front before, Arthur. We arrived in Paris just a week after you and your men did." She said confidently.

"Ariadne." He said stepping in front of her. Her eye line running into the impressive sets of ribbons on his chest. "This is not a game, I want you safe."

"I know it's not a game. I'll be with the doctor and other nurses." she said defensively.

"I can't do my job if I'm worried about your safety. I want you to stay in Paris, or better yet, go back to London." He pleaded.  
>"How can I help you or anyone there?" She said.<br>"They have wounded." Arthur said.  
>"And if <em>your<em> wounded? Who will take care of you?" She asked.

Arthur sighed.  
>"Major Cobb is going to join us in the advancement. I still don't trust him and I would feel better knowing your safely in Paris. Away from the actual fighting. If your captured..." He looked livid at the very idea of her being captured by the enemy. "The Nazis are forbidding the Red Cross from inspecting the POW camps. Who knows what were going to find there."<p>

"Don't you think I don't know that?" She said as he turned away from her. She felt tears come unwelcomed to her eyes.

"Ariadne." He said. His scowl deepening as his warm hand touched her cheek. His touch was gentle and she turned her face into his caress.  
>"I'm going." She told him. Her voice soft and calm. Like she was talking to one of the wounded. Men who needed to be soothed or else they would crack under the strain of war.<br>"No, your not. If I have to have some of my men kidnap you and put you on a boat to New York where you'll be safest, your not going." He was calm and collected.

"You'd be court marshaled, Captain." She said feeling her face bloom into a smile.  
>"No, they would just frown on it." Arthur assured her wrapping his arms around her. An amused smile on his face. "Maybe even give me another medal and promotion." He added with a laugh.<p>

For a long time, they said nothing as they walked through the nearly empty park. The sun starting to set.

"I want you to tell the doctor that your staying in Paris." He said gravely. "I can't lead any battalion if I'm constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure your alright. I'd be distracted and that kind of thing can cost lives."

"Arthur." She said ready to fight again. She wanted to be there, not some silly girl safe at home while her Captain was on the front heroically fighting.

"What do I have to do? What do I have to promise to get you to do this one thing?" He asked. The Captain turned to her and met her eyes. She felt her knees grow weak.  
>"Do I have to marry you to get you to obey?" He said daringly. "Fine, we'll go find a clerk and we'll be married. Or a minister if you prefer. Then, when the war is over, we'll get a little house outside the city. I'll get a job in a law office and you can design buildings or paint. Whatever you want... children." he added as if an after thought. "Just<em> please<em>, Ariadne. Please do this for me. Stay behind where I know your safe. Just do that for me, alright?"

"Alright." She said.

Her mind was swirling with images of a little cookie cutter house in a pristine suburb. Two rambunctious boys riding bikes and a little girl playing with her dolls. Arthur coming home to them and the family watching '_I Love Lucy_' after dinner. The years and decades rolling lazily by. The war was something that was so far away, it was like a dream. A fairy tale they told their children of how their parents first met. The children knowing about the war, only from history books and their father's stories. The impressive medals he kept tucked away in a hall closet. Rarely seeing the light of day. The children already knowing what kind of man their father was.

"I'll do it for you. I'll stay behind, for you."

Arthur was kissing her then as night fell on them. His large hands roaming around her waist. His lips touching her lips like he was afraid to kiss her more deeply.

"I knew it. The moment I saw you, I _felt_ it. I knew we belonged together. Like I was waiting for you." He whispered. His warm, sweet breath making her heart speed up. "Didn't you feel it? We were pulled to each other. Like we've known each other before." He said. "In some other life."

"Yes." She croaked. Wanting his lips on hers again. "I saw you and I..." She sighed trying to remember. "It was like I was searching for you. Like I already knew you."  
>"Yes, that's it exactly." He said with a small smile.<p>

The streets were filled with people, who merely glanced at the happy couple as they kissed with youthful abandonment under the full moon.


	9. Chapter 9

9.

~ It would still be several days before the line would advance further in. Arthur's men were still on the mends from the bombing and they were also awaiting supplies and reinforcements. The city seemed to buzz with excited life as shop owners were eager to throw open their doors to the Americans.

~ "What are you doing?" Cobb asked when he finally spotted Eames outside of a barber shop. The Forger turned Lieutenant was sitting at a small outdoor table. People watching as he was writing something.

"Writing back home to my girl." The Lieutenant said with a cherry smile. "Have to let her know I'm behaving myself."  
>"Eames." Cobb said sitting down. "Please tell me you still remember what's really happening."<p>

"What do you mean, sir?" Eames asked.

Cobb fished in his pocket and pulled out his top. With one easy flick of the wrist, he sent it spinning. The Forger looked at the tiny, silver toy. It's whirling steadying out and never stopping or wavering in its spin.

"It just spins and spins." Eames said as if hypnotized.

"So what does that mean?" Cobb said looking hard at the Forger.  
>"It means were in the dream." Eames said fishing in his pocket and removing two red poker chips. "Were in a dream, this isn't real." He said looking over the grooves and lines.<p>

The Forger looked around. Seeing his world as if for the first time.  
>"I'm sorry Cobb. I lost myself for a while. I..." The Forger looked embarrassed.<p>

"It's alright. Ariadne seems to be lost too. I would remind her, but every time I get close to her, she seems to avoid me. I don't know what's going on." Cobb said pocketing the top.

"How long have we been in the dream, Cobb?" Eames asked. The Extractor sighed and leaned in further.

"Almost a week now. By my guess, we have only been asleep for 30 minuets in the real world." Cobb said smoothing out his Major's uniform. "I've been talking to Dax and he's just as far gone as Arthur is. We have to find a way to get them to come out of this dream. The wake up music alone isn't enough."

"Cobb, were in a war zone. They advance to the front tomorrow. If Arthur gets shot and killed. If you or I get killed."

The Forger didn't need to explain. If they died in this dream, they would wash up on the shores of Limbo.

~ Arthur was using his last few days of freedom to court Ariadne.

"Alright, hold still." The old man said as he snapped their picture. Arthur was leaning against a nearby wall with Ariadne in his arms. A happy look on both their faces.  
>"Ah, very nice. A lovely picture for a lovely couple." The old man said. "I'll make two prints, yes? Only five dollars*."<br>"Five?" Arthur turned to him surprise as Ariadne laughed. "A bit much isn't it?"

"Who can put a price on memories?" The old man said.  
>"Apparently <em>you <em>can." Arthur said handing over the money.

"Come by later today, I'll have them ready for you." He said giving the handsome Captain a salute.  
>Arthur only nodded as his girl laughed again.<br>"I thought you were taking me out for dinner." She said with her hand on her hip.

"Right." he said returning to her. "It's my last day in the city till who knows when, lets make it count." He told her. His large hands resting on her hips. She grinned up at him.

"Um, Arthur?" She asked as they walked the elegantly cobbled streets. He kissed the top of her head sweetly.

"Yes?" He said, listening.

She blushed furiously. Her courage suddenly abandoning her.

"Um... you know, if... um... if you wanted to... I mean." She looked away. Her Captain stopped her and gave her a puzzled look.

"Some of the girls, they go to the hotel with their guys." She said shyly. "I mean, before they leave for the front."

"Have you ever gone to a hotel with a guy?" He asked sullenly.  
>"No." She said honestly.<p>

"Don't you think if I wanted a girl to go to a hotel with me, I would have found one already?" He asked. His face that deep scowl she worried over.

"I know you can have a girl... one that is more experienced..." She floundered as her cheeks felt horribly hot.

"I don't want a girl like that." He told her simply. "War time, I can easily have a girl like that. I want you, I really do. Nothing would make me happier, but not like that. That's not how I want things to be with us. Not yet anyway." He said kissing her hand.

She was nodding.  
>"I'm sorry." She said brushing her hair off her face. "It was stupid."<p>

"No, it wasn't stupid. Never be afraid to tell me how you feel." He said with a smile. "Lets go get dinner."

~ It was late and he was leaving in the morning. They picked up their over priced pictures. Ariadne laughed at the novelty of seeing them captured in that moment in time. Arthur looked so handsome in his pristine uniform. She looked so plain in her simple dress. She wished she had a finer selection of clothes. She almost looked out of place next to her Captain. Still, they looked happy there. Caught in that sepia colored world.  
>Arthur quickly placed the small photo in his breast pocket and looked back at her.<br>"Now I'll have a picture of you so I can brag to all my buddies." He said. She laughed as he was kissing her.

"I was hoping you could take this with you." She said fishing out her handkerchief from her purse. It was the only dressy handkerchief she had with her. She only used it for Sunday services. She sprayed it with her perfume because she read a story in school about knights taking a token from their lady into battle. It would bring them luck and remember what they had back home.

"You can have something that smells like me." She said with a shy smile.

Her Captain took it solemnly and placed it into his breast pocket. His eyes not looking back at her. His face seemed angry.  
>"I can't be sure when we'll come back into Paris." He said with a ragged voice. "It may be a while." He said stiffly. The barest hint of emotion in his voice.<p>

"I know." She said sadly.

"I promise though, I _promise_ we won't lose each other." He said. "No matter what, we will find each other."

She nodded and tried to hold her tears back.

"Alright." he said. He stooped slightly to kiss her. "I'll see you soon." He said.

Just like that, he was gone. Her Captain had vanished in the crowd and didn't look back.

~ Dawn broke over the sky, angry and demanding.

"Hurry up!" Trixie barked as Ariadne readied herself. "We don't have all day. I can't believe your Captain was alright with you going to the front."

"Yeah, he was fine with it." Ariadne lied as she packing her nurse's bag and her pack with her one change of clothing. All she was allowed in the field.

The Red Cross truck was ready to pull out of the hospital. The Doctor and the other two volunteer nurses were waving at her to hurry.

"Good luck." Trixie said giving her a hug.  
>"I'll be fine." Ariadne said feeling nervous.<p>

"Let's go ladies." The Doctor said pulling Ariadne up into the back of the truck. "Our boys are already at the front line. Reports of POW camps. We need to get ourselves and these supplies to the front."

'_I'm on my way, Arthur._' She thought as the truck lurched forward and drove slowly out of the city. A convoy of desperately need supplies. Her mind wandering over if Arthur was alright. Fear that he may already be wounded and needing her help.

*** Five dollars then would be about sixty in today's economy. Still, a pic with JGL in uniform, who can put a price on that? **


	10. Chapter 10

10.

~ It was a long drive to the front. The convoy of Red Cross trucks bounced like a stage coach along the neglected roads out of Paris. Ariadne and the other nurses were jerked around the bottom of the truck bed as they watched Paris fall away from view.

Her body was starting to cramp up when the trucks squealed to a halt and reached the first check point into the advancement.

Shouting. That was the standard greeting in any army. Men shouting at them to unload. Get the doctors and nurses out now.

The back of the truck flew open and the Soldiers were helping the nurses down and unloading the supplies. Ariadne looked worriedly around her. She didn't see Arthur or his unit anywhere. She breathed a sigh of relief and then wished she hadn't.

The smell. That smell seemed to permeate the air. As a nurse she was used to all kinds of foul odors that stayed in her hair and clothing, but she had never smelled anything like this before. It was musty, old and powerful. It smelled of terrible things and her animal instinct told her to stay away from it.

"It's worse then we thought. Steel yourselves ladies. This is no time for fainting or any nonsense." The Doctor told them handing them toothpaste.  
>"What's this for?" Ariadne asked.<p>

"For the smell." He said smearing a large dab on his finger and wiping on his upper lip. Giving himself a strange white mustache. "It will help. Now, put your masks on, and your gloves. I can tell you right now were dealing with typhoid and dysentery. Most likely lice and other things you don't want."

The nurses all smeared their upper lip with the toothpaste and pulled on their masks. Immediately the odors went away and was over ruled but the smell of the minty paste.

It had rained just before they arrived and the ground was muddy. Ariadne watched as U.S. Soldiers marched the dregs of the Nazi guards into a holding pen.

"We have over two dozen barracks to look over. I want you to asses only for now. Triage rules. Determine who needs help now, and who can wait. Our men are setting up a MASH unit for us." The Doctor said as Ariadne was escorted to a barrack by her own personal guard.  
>"How old are you, Solider?" She asked the young man who looked dwarfed by his army greens.<p>

"19 ma'am." he said sheepishly. "Ma'am, I don't think a lady should go in there." he said.

"Nonsense." She told him. "Stay close to me, we will need to move them."

~ She wished later she had headed the young soldier's advice. In the dark foul smelling barracks, eyes looked up. Eyes that were hollowed and haunted as they blinked back at her. She was floored again by the smell. Despite the toothpaste, she could smell the tell tell odor of hunman waste and decomposing bodies.

"Are you an American?" A voice called out.

"Are we going home?" Another asked.

"Yes." She said numbly. "Yes, were all going home."

~ There was no going home for Ariadne just yet. She had to triage everyone. The young men who were walking and talking, the ones excited to see her were not a priority. She gave them bread and told them to wait. The men who were not so active caught her attention. These men laid back, unblinking and uncaring.

Her would be patients helped her carry these half gone souls to the MASH unit where the Doctor was checking them over. Her young Solider was throwing his breakfast up as she made him go back into the next barracks.  
>"Pull yourself together." She said efficiently. "We need you."<p>

The poor young man was not ready for the next barrack. The horrific smells of humans living too close together and with too little sanitation was evident. Her clothing, hair and skin soon absorbed the rank odor of these men. All of them were captured just a few months ago. All of them, happy to see a Red Cross nurse. They helped her to carry the weaker men to the MASH tent. She handed these relatively healthy men bread and told them that the Americans had taken back Paris. That yes, Hitler was on the ropes.

The wounds for these men had once been minor, but in these horrible conditions, they had festered and now infection was taking over their bodies. Ariadne applied the last of her sulfa to a shoulder wound. One that had turned bright red and yellow. A wound that was now hot to the touch.

~ "Your a good nurse." Her young solider said as she walked quickly back to the truck.  
>"I am?" She said with a laugh. The young man helped her unload more medicine.<p>

"Yeah, your not afraid to touch them." He said sheepishly.

"Once their cleaned up and feed properly, you would never know they were here." She told him.

She suddenly felt winded and tired.

"What time is it?" She asked him.

"Almost five." She said taking the heavy box from her.  
>"No wonder I'm hungry." She said with a laugh. "Let's get the last of these drugs to the Doctor and have some dinner." She told him.<p>

"So... um, do you have a fellow?" The young Solider asked shyly. She smiled and felt her face go warm.

"Um, yes. I do. He's in the army." She told him.

"Oh." He said looking sad for a moment. "He knows your out here? Doing this?"

"Not really." She told him with a secret grin.

~ The line at the mess hall was long. The POW's taking priority as they waited for hot soup and fresh bread. Ariadne felt woozy at the sudden smell of clean, hot food. Her young Solider helped her deliver the medicine and the Doctor told her to take a break but be back as soon as she had eaten.

"Let's sit down a second." She said as her and the young Solider rested on a makeshift bench. She watched with a certain feel of accomplishment as the POW's filed into the mess hall.

"What's your name?" She asked the young man.

"Privet James Telford." He told her. His face looking weary and haunted.  
>"They tell you to baby sit me?" She asked trying to put him at ease.<br>"It's war Ma'am." He told her. "Things happen to women in war time. My orders came directly from the Captain himself."

"Which Captain?" She asked trying to not sound interested.

"Which Captain?" He repeated. "THE Captain. The Hero, the one who's getting the cross. The one who re-captured those Nazis that bombed the barracks last week."

"Oh." Was all Ariadne said. "He sounds like a good man." She said finally.

"The best." Privet Telford said.

There was so much shouting in the camp already that Ariadne didn't hear it right away. It had been a long time since her ears had been trained for the sound of planes. She didn't even hear the shouts of;

"Air Raid! Get Down!" before it was too late.

Privet James Telford, melted before her eyes. His warm blood splattering on her with the mud and meat that was once the wide eyed young man.

His blood was on her face as she numbly wiped it off her. Her mind reeling against what had just happened. Her guard, the young Solider, had been hit. His body blown away as if he never existed at all. The sound of the bomb that struck so close to her deafened her. Reducing her wold to shocked silence.

She _saw_ but didn't _hear_ men shouting. She saw the ground open up to the bombs that fell over the Red Cross stations. She felt the ground shake under her as an explosion quivered under her feet.

She walked around in a daze. Covered in mud and Privet Telford's sticky blood.

A sudden force knocked on her feet. Then, the demons of hell broke free of the earth, and escaped.

'_A bomb hit too close to me_.' She thought to herself as she felt nothing. She felt nothing at all as she sank into a black oblivion.


	11. Chapter 11

11.

~ "I'm alright!" She shouted as she tried desperately to sit up. Cobb was standing over her.  
>"Calm down. Lay back down." The Extractor said gently. His kind face looking down on her.<br>"Cobb!" She cried as pain shot down her leg. "Cobb! Where?" She gasped as her world became blurry though her tears.

"Nurse! I need you!" The Doctor was shouting. "We have to set the leg. We have to do it now."

The Doctor was looking at Cobb.  
>"Major, I need you to hold her steady." He said. Ariadne felt the Extractor's hands go around her arms.<p>

"Ariadne, hold still." He said soothingly. That nice, calming way Cobb had. It made her relax a little. Until she looked down.

Bone, as white as her uniform had once been, was sticking out of her leg. Her dress had been lewdly cut open and her leg displayed for all to see.

She saw the blood covering her dress and panicked.

"Cobb!" She screamed as the Doctor's hands were on her. "Cobb! Wake me up! Wake me up! Wake me up!"

With a horrible jolting pain, the Doctor reset her compound fracture. The pain was unbearable and she couldn't stop screaming as Cobb held her down on the table. The pain seemed to spread out over her body as she cried and tried to remember to breath.

"Cobb." she cried as the blinding pain eased it's grip. "I want to wake up." She said pitifully. "Please, wake me up."

~ She was slow to wake up after that. She vaguely remembered through her morphine haze, Cobb in the back of the truck with her. Trixie cutting off her blood stained uniform and bathing her. Talking to her as she wavered in and out of the drug induced sleep.

She wasn't hungry or thirsty. She wasn't in pain. All she wanted to do now, was sleep. To fall into a great sleep where there was nowhere left to fall. She wanted to wash up on the shores of this sleep and stay there. Where there was no pain, no war. Where there was nothing at all.

~ She found herself floating back to her hospital bed once. The pain in her leg waking her up and making her groan.

She felt someone was in the room with her. She looked down and saw Arthur was sleeping next to her. His head resting on her bed. His lean body, finding some comfort in a chair next to her.

Her body felt heavy. Every part of her felt so heavy she was surprised she didn't crash though the bed and onto the floor. Her eye lids even felt weighed down and she struggled to keep them open. Her hands and fingers felt too heavy to move and she looked at her hand stupidly as she managed to lift it to Arthur's hair.

'_His hair is different_.' She thought. She looked at the sleeping Point Man. His once slicked back hair was parted on the side, giving him and old fashioned look. She looked at the uniform he was wearing.

"Arthur?" She croaked.

He sat up with a start and clasped her hand in his.  
>"Your awake." He said looking like he need more sleep then she did.<p>

"Arthur, what happened? What happened in the dream?" She asked numbly.  
>"Oh, Sweetheart." he said with a smile. He kissed her hand and she couldn't even feel his lips. "You were almost hit by a bomb during an air raid. You broke your leg. Very badly."<p>

"Air raid?" She asked feeling her head melt back into her pillow again. Wanting to return to that abyss.

"You don't remember?" he asked gently. His voice forgiving and worried.  
>"No." She breathed. "Arthur, where's Cobb? Where's Eames?"<p>

"Major Cobb was the one who brought you to the aide tent. Who made sure you got back to Paris. Your in your hospital." Arthur said. "I'm not sure where Lieutenant Eames is." Arthur said smoothing her hair away from her face.  
>"<em>Lieutenant<em> Eames?" She repeated numbly. "Arthur." She gasped suddenly wanting water. "I need water."

He brought her water and told her to drink slowly. Her lips feeling chapped and raw. The water was so harsh and hurt going down.  
>"How long was I asleep?" She asked.<p>

"Almost three days." He told her. "The Doctor just now eased your morphine back."  
>"Morphine? What Doctor?" She said stupidly. "I'm so tired." She said helplessly.<p>

"Shh. Go to sleep." He said kissing her tenderly. She nodded as the weight of her eyelids finally gave up the fight. She feel asleep and knew nothing else.

~ "Wake up, you!" Trixie sang at her. Ariadne blinked away the morning light that was streaming though her window. Her body felt like she had slept too much.

"Trixie." She said in an exhausted breath. Her chest hurting as she tried to breath in and out again. "What- What happened?"

"Doctor said you wouldn't remember." Trixie said helping her to sit up. "Your fella was here almost everyday after he pushed the troops past the front. All the girls are crazy for him and all you did was sleep!" She scolded.

"Trixie." Ariadne said. "What happened?" She sat up and her movement was immediately stopped short by the heavy cast on her leg.  
>"Air raid. You were at the front with the rest of the medical crew. A bomb struck close to you and banged you up pretty bad. Busted your leg all to hell and back. Doctor had to set it right there in the field. That handsome Major Cobb rode back in the truck with you." Trixie said adjusting her pillow.<p>

"Major Cobb?" Ariadne repeated. That sounded odd, but familiar.  
>"Oh yes, he was very worried. Your fella has some competition if you ask me." Trixie said.<br>"My fella." Ariadne repeated dumbly.  
>"Sure. Arthur. Your Captain. Well, make that your <em>Major<em> now. He got his medals and his promotion yesterday." Trixie said.

"Arthur. He's a Major now?" She said remembering him in uniform.

"War time, you know how it is." Trixie said. "You want your bath first or you want to try and eat first? You haven't eaten since it happened. Doctor had to put an IV in you and everything. We just couldn't get you to wake up." She tutted teasingly at her friend. "Lazy." She said and smiled.

"I want a bath first." Ariadne said.

~ After Trixie put her in the deep bath tub, her heavy cast held up by a clumsy pulley, Ariadne felt near starvation. Trixie had to tell her to slow down as she gulped down oatmeal and fruit.  
>"Your Major, Arthur, he brought you those flowers." Trixie said pointing to the pretty blue vase that housed a cheery arrangement of wild flowers.<br>Ariadne smiled at them.

"He stayed here? With me this whole time?" She asked. "I thought he was fighting up at the front."

"He was. The Germans are retreating still. The boys from the POW camp were saved because of it. They were worried about you to. They kept wanting to see you. But your Major insisted you have your own privet room." Trixie explained refilling her water pitcher.

Ariadne looked around her as if for the first time. She had her own privet room that was meant to house around ten people.

"I shouldn't be taking up so much room." She said feeling guilty. "Not with so many wounded."

"It's fine, their on the mends now." Trixie said with with a shrug.

"I wish I could have seen Arthur get his medal." Ariadne said.  
>"Yeah, you were too busy sleeping." Trixie said as if Ariadne's injury had been a great bore. "Always muttering, about waking you up. We <em>tried<em>, you just wouldn't come out of it. Arthur was so worried. It was romantic as hell." Trixie said sitting on the edge of her bed and looking over her finger nails.

"Ahem." Came a deep voice. Ariadne's head snapped up from her fruit as she and Trixie saw her newly promoted Major standing in the doorway. The gold leaf on his uniform looked good on Arthur. The ribbons on his chest, were more plentiful.

Ariadne felt herself gulping. Almost afraid of this intimidating man. That had taken the shape of her Captain.

"Gotta go." Trixie said and scampered out. "Major." She said with a curtsey.

Arthur turned sharply and closed the door after her.  
>"How are you feeling?" He asked softly.<p>

"Hungry." She said looking down and her eaten breakfast and wanting more.

"That's good." He said sitting down in a chair next to her bed. He put his hat next to her flowers.  
>"Thank you, um... for the flowers." She said shyly.<p>

"I'm glad you like them." He said casually.

"Did the Doctor say how long I would be hold up for?" She asked.

"He's not optimistic you'll be dancing anytime soon." Arthur said gravely. "It's bed rest for a few weeks at least."

"Weeks?" Ariadne said letting her head fall back on her pillow. "Then it's back to London or the U.S."

He was nodding.

"That means I'm out of this war." She said as if Christmas had been canceled.

Arthur said nothing. Only holding her hand in his. She felt like crying. She felt like screaming and pulling her hair out.  
>"I'm sorry I missed seeing you get your medals." She said finally.<p>

"It's alright." He said gently.

The mood between them seemed flat compared to how they were before. It almost felt like they were different people now.  
>"Your a <em>Major<em> now." She said looking over his new rank insignia. He smiled at her and sat a little straighter. "You got another purple heart I see." She said nodding at his ribbons. They were not as bulky as the actual medals but still let people know how decorated an officer he was.

"Yes." he said simply "For the stab wound you helped sew up." He told her.

Her fingers played over the bright colors of his ribbons. Her mind working back to that day. Them alone in the room, his lips on hers.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." She said sadly. Her leg starting to hurt.  
>"I know." He said.<p>

"My leg hurts." She said childishly.

"I'll go and tell your nurse." He said standing up.

"Arthur?" She said calling him back.

He turned and looked at her. He seemed so impossibly handsome in his uniform.

"Thank you." She said.

"For what?"

"For not saying '_I told you so_'." She said.

He smiled a ghost of a smile and bowed slightly.

"I'll be back later tonight." he promised.

** Next Chapter will have erotica in it. So be ready. Some stories have it, some don't. I think this one needs it. **

** So if you are offended by erotica, don't read any further. **


	12. Chapter 12

12.

~ He was back later that evening. He brought her dinner tray with him, and a surprise.

"Chocolate cake!" She exclaimed.  
>"Well, for the lady who braved the front and helped so many POWs how can I do less?" He said with a smile.<p>

"I haven't had chocolate in at _least_ a year!" She sang out feeling happy for the first time that day. "Can I eat it first?" She asked him.

"Well, I would tell you what you can and can't do, but we both know that wont work." He teased.

He helped her to sit up straighter. She winced at the pain that shot through her leg as the heavy cast was too much for her to move on her own.

"Those men you helped in the camp, all they do is ask about you." He said placing her cloth napkin over her chest so she wouldn't spill.

She shoved a fork full of cake in her mouth and her eyes fluttered as the taste hit her. Perhaps it was so long without, but it was the best cake she had ever eaten. She ate the rest very slowly, her brain magically satiated by the confection.

"They were worried?" She finally asked making sure not a crumb was left of her cake.

"Oh yes." He asked leaning back in his chair. "All I've heard in the past few days was how wonderful you are. How your an angel. Course, I could have told them that."

"Did you tell them I was taken?" She asked grazing over her dinner. She breathed in the heavenly smell of pork and mashed potatoes.

"Do you want to be?" He asked with a smile. She grinned at him and said no more as she finished eating.

"I've never been so hungry in my life." She said as she sopped up the last remnants of her meal with a roll.

"Well, you were asleep for a long time. Major Cobb came by to see you. I've been told he rode back with you to Paris." Arthur said in a dead tone.  
>"He was there when the Doctor was setting my leg." She told him. "I kept screaming at him." She said feeling embarrassed.<p>

She looked at Arthur. Her Major was lost in his own thoughts.

"Do you still think? I mean that he's..." She didn't need to finish.

"I don't know." Arthur said. "Truthfully, after what happened to you, I haven't had much of a chance to think about anything."

"Arthur, I don't think a man who was there for me like that could be bad, do you? And why would the Nazis drop bombs on one of their own spies?" She asked.  
>"We both know they have done worse." Arthur said grimly.<p>

~ The sun set and night reclaimed the sky, if only for a few hours. Ariadne and Arthur had talked late into the evening.  
>"The Doctor wants to ship you out next week to London." He told her.<p>

"You'll be staying in Paris then?" She asked. He nodded.

She looked down at her hands. Her eyes blinking back her tears.

"So, I might not see you again." She said sadly.

"What did I say before I went to the front?" He asked growing angry. "I told you we won't lose each other." he said. His voice was so stern, so commanding, that she couldn't help but nod.

Arthur looked at his watch.  
>"It's almost midnight. I had better let you get some rest." He said standing up.<p>

"No, Arthur." She said garbing his hand. Her arms still felt weak from her long sleep. "Please, don't go. Stay with me tonight."

Arthur looked from her, to the door. It was closed but there were no locks on any of the patient doors.

"Ariadne." He said in a soft groan.  
>"Just please, just stay a little while. Please?" She asked.<p>

He looked longingly at her. She could tell he was weakening to the idea. That he wanted to stay.

"I need to get back. I have..." He looked over her body.  
>"<em>Please<em>, Arthur." She said knowing she was winning the war. "Just stay in the bed with me for a little while. Nothing will happen. I promise." She said trying to move her body to give him room.

He stayed rooted to the ground. His eyes darting to the door.

Finally, his hands moved to his dress jacket and he pulled it off him. He hung it neatly over his chair and stepped out of his shoes.

She lifted the covers for him to slid in next to her. Her bed was too small for the both of them, but he rested on his side next to her. A wonderful delight stole through her body as she reveled in the stolen time with him. His body, curled next to her, his lips kissing her cheek, then her chin before finding her lips.

"Ariadne." he breathed her name like he was saying a prayer. His hands not knowing where to rest on her broken, yet chaste body. She wanted his hands on her. Wanted his touch claiming her.

She rested her own small hands over his. Pulling them over her, pulling them under her night gown to touch her skin underneath.

The tortured sensation of foreign skin on her, lit her senses up. Arthur's hand was caressing her belly, as his arm was wrapped around her shoulders. Bringing her head closer to him.

He wanted to move his hand up. That much she was sure of. He wanted desperately to feel the softness of her breasts. To touch that forbidden fruit that was so easily within his grasp.

She placed her hand over his again. His gentlemanly response was to retreat from his fondling. Only her hands bravely guided him upward. His fingers touching the tender bud of her nipple. His war callused fingers felt rough and exciting on the delicate skin.

"Oh!" She moaned at the feel of it. Delighted that it felt so wonderful.

"Shh." Arthur hissed kissing her tenderly. "We have to be quite."

She realized she was breathing hard as her Major gently fondled her tender nipples. Her body reacting strongly to his touch. Little shivers of pleasure rocking her body as she gasped out.

"Tell me if you want me to stop." He said ducking his head under her night gown. She could felt his warm breath on her nipples then. His lips suckling her to a near frenzy.

"Oh, Arthur." She whispered. "Please." She begged as her soft cries seemed to egg him on. His hand found her neglected breast and his strong fingers teased and tormented her other nipple into a fine hard point. She found his hips swaying slightly as his mouth ravished her breasts.

She had never given much thought to her beasts proving her with so much pleasure before. Yet, in Arthur's hands, her breasts bloomed into a magical thing that made her back arch and lips part. Wanting to scream. Wanting to tell him to stop, and at the same time beg him never to stop.

"Arthur!" She panted helplessly as she could feel his hands wander down her body. Not daring yet to touch her between her legs. She wore no panties as she was still convalescing. His hand hovering dangerously close to her unopened woman.

"I love you." He breathed as he kissed her stomach.

"I love you to." She whispered back. She allowed her nightgown to rest high upon her chest. Baring her breasts to the night air.

"I want you for my wife." He said as his lips traveled up her body again.

She was nodding helplessly. She would promise him anything as long as he wouldn't stop his wonderful torture.

"Say yes." he commanded.  
>"Yes." She croaked. "Yes, I'll marry you."<p>

She felt his hands roam over her sex. She moved her uninjured leg to grant him better access. His large hands covering her small gem easily as he tentatively ran a finger up the slit of her opening.

"Ouch!" She screamed as a sharp pain went off in her injured leg. The broken bone having had too much excitement for one day.

Arthur jumped back as if bitten. She sat up and smoothed her night gown over her naked body. Her gasping coming from pain now, not pleasure.

"My leg." She said feebly.

"I'm sorry." He said looking embarrassed as he pulled the covers over her. A man's attempt to help the situation.  
>"No, it's alright." She said as the throbbing pain eased up a bit. "Stupid leg." She said hating the bombs, hating the war, and hating the cast most of all.<br>"Do you need me to get the nurse?" He asked worriedly over her.  
>"No!" She said flushing a deep red. "No, please. They should do rounds in a while. You had better go." She said trying in vain to rub away the pain on her cast and failing miserably.<p>

"Alright." he said. "But don't forget." he said shrugging on his jacket. Once more her composed officer.

"Forget what?" She asked not following.

He opened the door and turned to her.

"You did say '_Yes_'." He said with a devilish smile before vanishing.


	13. Chapter 13

13.

~ "I don't see why I still have to marry you." Ariadne said simply as she ate her dinner in bed. Arthur, her Major, had brought her dinner in bed again.

"Verbal agreement is still a legal contract." Arthur told her not taking her teasing seriously. She was eating with her right hand only as her future husband measured her ring finger with a piece of string. The Major carefully tied little knots as he gauged her ring size.

"Well, I think your just taking advantage of me." She said simply. "You won't fool around with me until I marry you?" She pretended to be outraged but couldn't hold back a smile. "All my friends think your a tease."

"Oh really?" he said with a laugh as he placed a tiny box of chocolate candy on he tray. He had purposely saved them until she had finished eating her dinner.

"Oh Arthur." She said looking over the chocolate like it was priceless jewles. She looked ready to cry from happiness.  
>"That's my apologizes for no engagement ring." He said with an amused little smile. "So tell me, what do your friends think of my being a tease?"<p>

"I believe Trixie's exact words were _'Try before you buy'_ and gave me a condom." Ariadne said as she attempted to free the box of chocolates from the wrapping.

Arthur couldn't help himself. He laughed out loud and produced a pocket knife. Cutting away the wrappings of the box.

"I think I might be marring the wrong nurse." He said jokingly as she gently slapped his arm.

The chocolates tasted wonderful. Her pulse quickening over the contact of them on her lips.

"Someday, you'll have to tell me why women love chocolate so much." He told her.

"Can't do that. It's a closely guarded secret with women." She told him savoring her first piece.

"One of many I'd expect." Her Major said with a smile.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while. Her room was still privet but they left the door open so as not to be given over to temptation again.

"Trixie said you pushed your men past the front. Did you find any more camps? Did you capture any more Nazis?" She asked curiously.

He sat straighter.  
>"I don't like to talk about that kind of thing, Ariadne. I didn't want you to see that POW camp. The front is not a pleasant place. Not for anyone." He said sternly.<p>

"I'm sorry." She said feel embarrassed.  
>"When the war is over, I never want to talk about the things I had to do again. After the war is over, this will all just be a bad dream." He said looking out her window and not at her.<p>

"Not all of it was so bad." She said soothingly.

He looked at her. A smile finally escaping his lips as he looked at his hands.

"No, it hasn't been all bad." he said softly.

"So, day after the ceremony, I go back to London? From there, state side?" She asked sadly.

"Yes. My mother and sister will be there in New York to pick you up. As soon as were married you'll be issued new passports and everything." He assured her.  
>"I'm not worried about that." She told him.<p>

"What are you worried about?" He asked sincerely wanting to know. "Me dieing?"

"No! And don't even say that!" She said looking angry.

"What then?" He asked.

"Well, I mean." She didn't want to say it. Didn't want to speak the Devil's name and make it real.

"Tell me. I'm to be your husband, I don't want us to have secrets." He said.

"It's just that everything has happened so fast. We've only known each other for a few weeks. It's war, people fall in love in war time easily." She took a deep breath. "When the war is over... if you feel... _differently_ about me. If you don't want to be with me anymore, I'll understand." She didn't dare look at him as she continued. "I'll give you a divorce, whatever you want."  
>"Ariadne." He voice came back to her finally. She stared at her white bed sheets. Avoiding his eyes.<p>

"Look at me." He commanded.

She finally turned to him. He looked angry.  
>"I'm not the sort of man who has a girl in ever village. I'm not the sort of man who recklessly marries some cute nurse in Paris and sends her home to his family." He said gravely. "My feelings for you will keep me for the rest of this war. They won't change. And when I'm home, were going to honeymoon at the falls when your leg is healed up. Then were going to have a long, boring life together till we get to be old and forget who we are. Then, we'll fall in love again." He said kissing her as she smiled.<p>

"Oh, I do love you." She said feeling so affectionate to her Major at that moment. "I wish I didn't have this stupid cast on my leg. Makes it impossible to do... anything on our wedding night."

"I know." He told her. "War will be over soon enough." He promised.

They kissed for a long time. The chocolate he had given her making her head feel reckless and made her body want him more then normal.

"Are you nervous about meeting my mother and sister?" He asked pulling away from her and sitting back down.

Both their breathing had picked up too much and they were in danger again.

"A little. I mean, I'm marring the only surviving son." She said smoothing out her hair. He chuckled.

"And I'm the baby of the family." He said giving her a grin.

"Oh even better." She said sarcastically.

"No, my sister, Beth, never married. My brothers didn't either. Your her last chance at grandchildren." He told her.  
>"Yeah, I'll get right on that." She said lamely glancing down at the heavy cast. "Are your mother and sister nice? I mean, since I'll be living with them and all."<p>

"My mother is actually very laid back. I don't know how she'll be now after all that's happened with my brothers. I haven't seen her since I left for Europe. But my sister, is always on my side. She's the one I telegraphed that I was getting married."

"What did she say?" Ariadne asked. Arthur gave her an amused smile.

"I think they thought you were some tavern singer who I got in trouble." He told her. "I had to assure them that your a decent lady. What about your family?"

"My family is in Canada actually. I think I might wait till after the ceremony to tell them. _If_ I decide to marry you, that is." She told him.

"You _will_ marry me." Arthur said confidently. The Major stood and put his coat on. "And after I get home, I'll speak to your father and explain how it was here in war time. Get his blessing."

She smiled and blushed.  
>"He'll give it." She assured him. "If my mother and sisters don't try and steal you away first." She laughed.<p>

"Hum, _sisters_." Arthur said pretending to think that idea over.  
>"Solider!" She scolded. He laughed.<br>"I have to get to the jewelry shop. Have our bands made." He said.  
>"Well, if I don't change my mind, I'll be in the hospital chapel at 2 tomorrow." She told him lazily.<p>

"You won't change your mind." He told her with a smile and vanished.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

~ "Can not believe your getting married before me!" Trixie cried as the nurse with glasses curled Ariadne's hair. Ariadne smiled into her own reflection and applied her red lipstick. Her picture of Arthur still tucked safely in her compact.

She was dressed in her blue dress with the red and orange flowers. It was her nicest dress and it would count as her something "old and blue". Trixie lent her her prized red heels as something "borrowed". Although Ariadne could only wear one shoe because of the heavy cast.

"I told the guy who is taking pictures to shoot above the waist." Ariadne said looking down at the cumbersome cast. Necessary due to her broken leg.  
>"Ariadne, your only going to be standing up for the vows." The nurse with glasses said.<p>

"If that." Trixie said putting a gold locket around Ariadne's neck. A wedding present Arthur had sent to her to wear as something "new".

"Are you ready?" Trixie asked as Ariadne tried to settle her self.

They helped her into a nearby wheel chair and the nurse with glasses gave her her small purse.

"You look beautiful." Trixie said at last.

~ "Eames, we can't let them do this." Cobb said feeling worried as the two men waited in the chapel for the wedding to start.  
>"Don't you <em>dare<em> stop this, Cobb." Eames said bouncing on his heels. "You can make this my Christmas present for the next 50 years if you want, but I can't wait to see the look on Arthur's face when he wakes up and realizes he married Ariadne in a dream."

"What about Ariadne? She's lost in here. It's not right." Cobb hissed as Arthur showed up with Dax as his best man. Ariadne had asked Cobb to give her away since he brought her back to Paris after she was injured. The Doctor was performing the ceremony. Something he was happy to do since before the war, he was a pastor in the local church as well as a small town doctor. His injured nurse had to resign her commission with the Red Cross since she was so badly hurt. Also, so she could marry Arthur.  
>"No. I mean <em>look <em>at Arthur." Eames said with a smile. "He's happy as shit. Never seen him like this before."

"What about Ariadne?" Cobb hissed again.

"What about her?" Eames said. The Forger giddy with excitement. "Their in love. This a magical moment and if you try to stop them, I'll kick your ass dream or no dream."

~ Outside the chapel, Ariadne sat in her wheel chair with Trixie and the nurse with glasses. They were waiting for Cobb to come in a push her down the aisle.  
>"Their all in there." Trixie said. "Not too late to change your mind."<p>

"Is Arthur there? How does he look?" Ariadne said fumbling in her purse for her compact. Checking her make up again and looking at Arthur's photo.

"He's there. Very handsome. Has all his medals on and everything. He looks so heroic." Trixie assured her gently.

Ariadne took a deep breath as she tried to calm her nerves. She gently placed her compact back in her purse when her hand felt over something hard and strange. She pulled out a bishop. A gold one from a chess set.

'_What's this doing here?_' She thought to herself. It was from the chess set she used to play with her Grandfather. After her parents died, he taught her to play.

'_My parents are alive, in Canada._' She thought.

'_No, they died in a car accident when I was 8._' She remembered.

The bishop felt wrong. Felt strange.

'_This is not right._' She thought and Arthur's voice came into her mind, just as clearly as if he were speaking to her.

'_Totem, its a small personal object. It needs to be unique. When you look at your totem, you know your not in someone else's dream._'

"Oh God." She whispered.

"Ariadne?" Came Cobb's voice. "Their ready."

"Cobb?" She croaked hoarsely and tried to swallow.

"Are you alright?" The Extractor said scowling at her.  
>"Yes." She said hiding her bishop from view. "Cobb, I'm fine."<p>

The Extractor looked at her for a moment and finally nodded very slowly.

"Their ready for us." He said.

Trixie gave the Extractor a cat like smile and vanished in the chapel. "Ready to get married?" He asked.

"Yes." She said in surprise. "Yes, I'm ready."

Cobb pushed her wheel chair slowly to the alter. Her heart beating wildly in her chest as her eyes finally landed on that handsome officer at the end. Arthur's medals dislayed heavily on his chest. Ariadne couldn't hold back a smile as she finally reached him. Her groom and the Extractor helping her to stand despite the cast.

"You look beautiful." Arthur whispered to her.

She smiled as she leaned heavily on the Point Man.

"Dearly beloved." The Doctor said.

~ It was a simple service. One which Ariadne had to stand on one foot the entire time. Leaning on her new husband before he was finally able to lower her into her wheel chair again.  
>"Thank you." She said with a smile at her husband. Arthur had never looked so happy in all the time she had known him in the real world.<p>

~ It was a small reception at a restaurant in the city. Ariadne not able to drink because of the pain medication. The one consolation being that chocolate cake was served. A small one, but enough for the 9 people there.

"When the war is over, we can have the wedding you want." Arthur promised whispering in her ear.  
>"No." She said looking at the thin gold band lacing her ring finger. It's mate on her husband's finger. "No, Arthur. This is perfect." She said honestly as Trixie was flirting with Cobb. The Extractor looking annoyed.<p>

"That's why I love you." He said kissing her.

It was strange to kiss Arthur like this. Like he already knew her lips so well. Her mind now remembering the heated night their shared in her hospital room and who they were in the waking world.

Irrationally, she thought about what it would be like to live this life forever. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. They could be happy. Lost together in the dream until they finally woke up. They could live a life together like that. Maybe it would be better, to stay in this dream.

He loved her. She was certain of that. Even if he forgot the real world, he remembered her on some level. She knew he was always attracted to her. They could make it work in the dream. Be in love in the dream and never wake up after a life time together.

It would be easy to just lose herself in this dream again. Forget that she remembered.

But what would happen when they woke? Would he be angry at her? Embarrassed?

~ After the reception, Arthur got an Army jeep to drive them to nearby hotel. She couldn't help but marvel at how other worldly this Paris was. Almost wishing her Paris was still like this. No intrusion of the modern world.

~ Arthur was carrying her up the stairs of an elegant little hotel. It had weathered the war well and had a rough, other century charm to it.

Ariadne couldn't stop blushing as her new husband acted as her crutch as he unlocked the door to their room. He stooped and lifted her back up easily. Carrying her over the thresh hold, cast and all. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck as she giggled helplessly.

"I'm going to put you down now." He whispered as he carefully lowered her to the floor. She gave a small hop and he caught her before she fell.

"Let me try something." He told her.  
>"What?" She asked wondering how this day could be more perfect.<p>

"Step on my foot with your good leg." He said.

She laughed.

"I'll cruch your foot!" She said with a smile.

"Humor me." He said softly wrapping his strong, capable arms around her slight body.

She did as he said. Her foot, dressed in red heels stepping over his shinny dress shoes. He lifted her close to his body as her weighty cast hung useless in the hair by her side. He was waltzing, making he body move with his.  
>"I'm dancing." She whispered in surprise.<p>

"It's not a real marriage if you don't dance on your wedding night." He told her.

There was no music to guide their dance, only Arthur humming and singing softly,

"We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know when. But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day."

She blushed and smiled. Her face burring itself into her husband's chest as he moved her effortlessly around the room.

Finally he stopped and let her gently down on their bed. Her cast sprawling out to the side and making her wince as the dull pain returned.

"You need your pain medication?" He asked kissing her softly.

"I think so." She said amazed at how real the dream felt. She took out her little purse and pulled out her pain pills. Ignoring her totem completely.

Her husband was pulling off his shoes and jacket. She felt her heart race as a nervous series of butterflies flew into her stomach. She and Arthur had never been intimate in the real world and now, she felt a rush of apprehension.

"Arthur." She said feebly.  
>"I know your leg hurts, sweetheart." he said "I understand. We don't have to do anything tonight. We can wait till I'm home. When your leg is healed. Be together then." He said.<br>"Who knows when that will be?" She said easing her small body into their bed. He looked at her sadly.

"I want to be with you now." She said bravely.


	15. Chapter 15

15.

~ Her husband didn't need further invitation. He dove into her. His kiss, fevered as he balanced his long, lean body over hers. Ariadne felt her breathing pick up as she ignored the sharp pain in her leg. Her poor broken bone still hurting so soon after her injury. Her husband was too perfect, too handsome to sleep in the same bed and not do anything with.

She would berate herself later for not having stronger will power. For taking advantage of Arthur, who was lost in the dream state. For now, she wanted him.

"You looked so beautiful today." he whispered as his lips found hers. She raised her chest automatically to meet him. That primal instinct to temp her mate. Her breathing picking up as she felt a wonderful stirring in her body. She could feel the hurried arousal kindle deep inside her that made her sex grow hungry.

He started to undress her. His hands careful and skillful.

He smiled and kissed her tenderly on the lips. His body was cradled between her broken leg, suspended in it's cast, and her healthy leg that was carelessly rising up to hold him easier.

His hands were traveling down the front of her simple blue dress. Carefully unfastening the buttons that would expose her. The lace from her dress slip showing first as her husband ran his fingers over it. Appreciating the agonizing slowness that he had to take to undress her.

She blushed hotly as he shifted her dress off her and was kissing her now bare shoulders. Her time in the dream making her aware of just how much skin she had been covering up in this era of fashion.

She felt so naked in just her bra, panties, grader belt, stocking and dress slip. She tried to suppress a laugh as he tickled her skin with his breath. She could smell a deep satisfying cologne on him that he must have put on special for their wedding. His pheromones relaxing her even more.

All too soon, he had stripped her of the neat blue dress and her delicate full body slip was ridding high over her chest as her husband worked to free her breasts from her too practical bra. How the Architect wished for a '_Victoria Secrets_' right then.

She was biting her lip hard, remembering what Eames had said about men never getting tired of undressing a pretty girl. Arthur was proving the Forger right. She could feel her desire for him becoming more insistent as his careful lips grazed over her breasts. His hands easily riding her of her remaining garments. Her breasts became electric as the air hit them. Forcing her nipples to a point as she suddenly felt shy. A demure part of her wanting to cover herself suddenly.

This was Arthur. Her friend, her teacher her Team mate. It suddenly felt wrong to take advantage of him like this. He was certain he wouldn't do it to her. Wouldn't take her to bed if she was lost in the dream.

Then, her husband was there. His mouth on hers, his body covering hers. His own naked skin felt warm and blissful melding with hers. She forgot all her worries as his lips wandered from her lips to her neck and exposed breasts. His wet kiss on the delicate skin of her breasts, making her moan.

"Your so beautiful." He whispered kissing down her belly. "You have no idea how long I've wanted this." He said snapping off her fastenings of her guarder belt. Pulling off her panties in an easy sweep despite her cast.

"How long?" She asked timidly as she felt herself shake from nerves. His body was so warm, so close to her own now. His kiss on her body and breasts making her head swim as she let go.

"Moment I met you." He growled harshly into her ear and causing her back to arch up at the very animal like nature of it. "I knew I wanted this, the moment we met in the workshop." he said kissing her sweet flesh that snapped like lighting at his touch. "I wanted you." he repeated over and over in that hard, deep voice he sometimes had in serious situations.

'_Workshop?_' She thought blindingly. As her husband gently and carefully maneuvered himself between her legs. Her broken, casted leg couldn't be moved easily and she tried her best to spread her intact one for him. A dull pain piercing her broken leg and making her thoughts focus on not showing the discomfort to her husband.

The Point Man's lust was written clearly on his face as his hands grazed over her sex. His fingers delving into her swollen dampness making her gasp sharply. His lips attacking her belly as she began to moan helplessly and almost begged him to stop. She could feel herself losing control. Losing herself under his hands, under his kiss, under his body.

'_Workshop? In this dream, we met at a crowded cafe. Eames punched a solider._' She thought wildly as her husband, the Point Man, manipulated her sex bud effortlessly. A sadistic trait in him enjoying watching her moan and pant from the forced pleasure.

Then she thought of nothing at all as he impaled himself sternly into her. His body carefully avoiding her broken leg as he nimbly kept most of his weight off her. His member was warm and satisfying as she let herself go and eased into his rhythm.

She was helpless to his animal need. His irrepressible drive to mate with her. His lips back on hers as he whispered how much he loved her. How he always,_ always_ knew she was the one.

The heat coming off his need mingled sharply with her wet desire as he pushed himself into her. It was this heat, this wonderful sensation that sent her screaming over the edge. Made her scratch his back in a desperate fit on uncontrolled euphoria as her sex burst into an uncontrolled force that broke her. A force that left her powerless as her husband was sweetly kissing her again. Murmuring her name over and over.

~ As the new lovers finally came back down from their fantastic heights, Ariadne could only think of one thing.

'_Arthur knows this is only a dream. He remembers who he really is._'


	16. Chapter 16

16.

~ It was a cool night and Ariadne was watching the clock. Arthur, the Point Man, no longer her Major, no longer her solider, was sleeping naked beside her.

Her broken leg was hurting. Their consummation having been too much for her leg to endure.

'_Arthur remembers who I am, who he is._' She thought as she tried yet again to reach for her small purse with her pain pills. The weight of her cast had made it hard for her to move without waking him and she desperately wanted to take her pills and leave. She wanted to find Cobb and Eames and tell them what was happening.

'_Cobb would know what to do._' She thought.

But she couldn't hardly stand with her broken leg. How could she escape and find Cobb without Arthur's help? She reached for her purse again. Her leg was shooting daggers deep into her broken bone with every movement.

She accidentally knocked the night stand and the Point Man woke with a start.

"Are you alright?" he asked rolling his body close to her. His eyes, that missed nothing on a mission, looked over her now.

'_Just act like... like you did before. When you had forgotten. When you were lost._' She thought as she forced a smile on her face.

"My leg hurts, and I can't reach my pills." She said lamely. She pulled the covers closer to her body, suddenly very shy around Arthur.

"I'll get them." He said leaving their bed and pulling on his skives. Ariadne blushed deeply as she caught a generous glimpse of his naked body before he covered himself. He walked around their bed and handed her her purse.

"Thanks." she said searching for her pills as he got her a glass of water. Her fingers fell over her bishop as she pulled it out of her purse and looked at it. It was all wrong. The weight of it, the texture of it. She was still in the dream.

She sighed and took her pills as Arthur returned to bed. Nuzzling her ear.

"I guess we over did it." He said with a smile as she nervously drank her water.

"I guess so." She said shyly as he was brushing an errant stand of hair from her face. Kissing her gently.

The moonlight provided enough illumination to see him more clearly. His hair was no longer parted on one side and combed like he wore in this dream, but slicked strait back like he wore it in the waking world.

'_How long had he been wearing his hair like that?_' She tried to think. Her brain not working right as Arthur was on her again. His hands at her face, then moving down her body, pulling her free of the covers and exposing her body once more. His need hungry and she found herself incapable of refusing him as he kissed her.

~ Dawn soon crested over the sky. The city opened it's eyes to the smells of bread baking and her people waking up. Cobb, still posing as a Major, had managed to corner Dax into the mess hall alone. An attempt to convince him they were still in the dream.

"Dax, you know what were saying is true." Cobb said as Arthur's Lieutenant stared hypnotized at the perpetual spinning top.  
>"How- How long have we been down here?" Dax said not taking his eyes of the top that never ceased it's spin.<p>

"Over 5 hours now." Cobb said.

"Don't feel bad, Mate." Eames said nursing his mug and waving at the waitress for another coffee. "I lost myself to."

"So did our Architect, Ariadne." Cobb said giving Eames a dirty look. The Forger only shrugged and smiled.

"Ariadne? She and Arthur just got married. You mean she's _real_? She's not a projection?" Dax said in shock.

"Beautiful isn't it? I don't think I've ever been this happy in all my life." Eames said with a laugh.

"Do you remember?" Cobb asked Dax ignoring the Forger.  
>"Yes, I... we were held at gun point. This man had this doctor who he wanted information from. The doctor was doing research on stem cells and the guy was forcing us to do an Extraction." Dax explained searching his memories.<br>"Was this the man who forced you into this dream?" Cobb said unfolding the newspaper with the photo of the Nazi. The same man who was captured and escaped. Only to throw a bomb into the barracks and who Arthur had chased down and killed.

"Yes!" Dax said in shock. "Yes, Arthur said that he would think of a way to have our projections fight him, and protect the doctor."

"Well, he certainly did that." Eames said. "A Nazi in World War 2 Paris? Nothing could be more despised. Surprised the projections didn't kill him."

"Why was there not ground? No bottom to the compound?" Cobb asked keeping focus.

"The guy, he brought his own compound, his own everything." Dax said feeling nervous. Cobb put a steady hand on him.

"Dax, stay calm." Eames barked. "Last thing we need is your projections closing in on us."

~ "What the Forger had said, was like a curse. As soon as the words were out of his mouth the ground shook with obvious bombing.  
>"Air raid!" Someone screamed as the men hit the ground and crowded under the table. The other patrons were screaming as the sky lit up with flames and loud crashing ripped open buildings.<p>

~ Arthur had to carry his new wife to the bathroom and helped her take a bath. Ariadne's face was blushing red as he ran warm water in the tub. Her hands clutching tightly to the sheet she had covered herself with as he lifted her up and sat her on the edge of the tub.

"We have to get rid of this." He said peeling off her sheet. His lips quickly on her breasts as she halfheartedly tried to hold her arms over her nakedness.

"No need to be shy." He teased as he kissed her again. She was blushing as he eased her into the warm water. Her broken useless leg resting on the edge of the tub.

Arthur took his time washing her. Ariadne felt her pulse quicken and her cheeks blush a deep red as his hands maneuvered in and around her body. Washing her till every inch of her was clean.

~ He was carefully buttoning her blue dress back up and stringing her heavy locket back on her.

"Arthur, I can do this." She said with a laughed as he fumbled with the heavy chain. She could barely concentrate as he was kissing her neck.

"Arthur!" She squealed as his hands were traveling up her dress.

"Don't I have to leave in an hour for London?" She asked trying to distract him.

"Don't remind me." He sighed bitterly.

'_How easy, how easy it was to forget this was just a dream._' She thought at she looked at him.

~ The Point Man carried the Architect, broken leg and all, down the stairs to the waiting army jeep.

"Your going to take a plane from here strait to London. It's faster and safer." He told her putting the Jeep in drive. "I might be able to call you before we move out again. I'll definitely write to you." He promised as she tried to hold back tears.

"Arthur." She said finally as they reached a bridge. She could see the magnificent sight of the Eiffel tower nearby. "I don't have to go." She said at last.  
>"I can't risk your safety." He said in the cold, detached tone of the Point Man. "If you were killed..."<p>

He couldn't finish his sentence as the air raid they had not heard started dropping bombs.

Ariadne chanced a look behind her to see the hotel they had stayed at crumble like a sand castle from the explosion. Arthur was driving very fast as the sounds of the bombing echoed around them like the rapture. A gap opened before them as a bomb hit the bridge they were driving on and the Point Man swerved to avoid it. The Jeep fishtailed and flipped over.


	17. Chapter 17

17.

~ Shouting. Why was there always shouting?

Ariadne could barely hear Arthur screaming her name over the loud ringing in her ears.  
>"Ariadne!" He shouted as she sensed him cutting away her seat belt with his pocket knife. She was slow to realize that she was upside-down. The jeep having flipped over after a bomb blew up part of the bridge and Arthur had swerved to avoid plummeting into the river. Her broken leg was throbbing painfully in it's too heavy cast.<br>'_Stupid leg._' She thought as her Major was finally able to cut her free of the seat belt. She realized her forehead was wet and put her hand to it, only to draw back bright red blood.

"Come on!" Arthur was saying pulling her out of the wreckage. "Baby, please!" He begged as she felt her body go limp.

"Arthur?" She croaked as she felt dizzy.

"Ariadne!" he shouted as she was finally pulled out from under the jeep. Her view of the world skewed as she looked at the bright morning sky, polluted now with black smoke from the bombings. The ringing in her ears dieing out as the sounds of crashing rubble and screaming citizens reached her.

"Stay with me!" Arthur shouted over the noise. She looked up at her handsome Major. He had a few cuts on his face. His once pristine uniform dirty and wrinkled from the crash.  
>"Major, your uniform." She said numbly as she examined the dirt ground into the fabric. She felt her eyes want to close suddenly. Felt her body and her mind want to fall into another plane of existing. Felt herself washing up on some forgotten shore.<p>

"Ariadne!" He shouted angrily pulling her up to him.  
>"Stay awake! Don't fall into Limbo! Ariadne!" He shouted as she forced her eyes back open again.<p>

"Arthur." She croaked as she looked back at him.

The pain in her leg suddenly flared back up again. Memories of the POW camp, the young privet, his blood everywhere. That had been real hadn't it? Her broken leg, that was real. Her love for the handsome yet disheveled Major holding her, that was real. Surely, surely this was real to.

"Ariadne." He said in a strange angry tone she wasn't used to hearing.

"Arthur!" Came shouting as Ariadne vaguely heard men approaching them.  
>"Is she hurt?" Cobb was saying looking over her.<br>"Cobb, she hit her head." Arthur said holding her tightly. Ariadne felt her head loll back as Arthur tried to keep her sitting.  
>"Stay awake Ariadne!" Cobb shouted.<p>

"Cobb, if she dies she goes into Limbo." Eames was saying as Ariadne felt the blackness wanting to pull her under again.

'_So easy to fall into the deep. So easy to just wash up on the sores of my own subconscious._' She thought.

"Ariadne!" Arthur shouted forcing her to sit up. A blinding pain going off in her leg and she screamed out.

~ Dax was looking at the devastation the bombing brought over Paris. The things his subconscious did while looking for the dreamer. While looking for Arthur. Now, his friend who was trying to protect him was hurt. His girlfriend, wife, Architect or whatever she was, was dieing in the dream. Who knows where she might end up.  
>"Doctor!" Eames was shouting. The doctor who's mind they were forced to invade climbed slowly out of the jeep.<br>"Is that my nurse?" He asked walking steadily to the couple crouching on the ground next to the jeep that had rolled over.

"Yes." Cobb said. The Extractor was grateful that Eames had thought enough to go by the hospital after the air raid and get him. The Hospital was now bombed and lying in ruins.

"Concussion." He said simply as he examined her eyes. "My bag, son." The doctor said. "I need my smelling salts." Eames raced back to the van as another wave of fighter planes swarmed back around like wasps.

The Team watched helplessly as the Eiffel tower was hit. It's metal making horrendous screams of protest as the bombing weakened it and caused it to collapse in on it's self.

"Cobb!" Arthur shouted as the doctor waved a vile over Ariadne's nose making her jerk up and cough. "We have to wake up!" Arthur shouted as the noise from the nearby bombings almost washed out all noise.

"Glad to have you back, Arthur!" Eames shouted back as the Team huddled close to the Jeep. It's twisted wreckage hopefully blocking the view of the bombers.

"What's that noise?" The Doctor was asking as the men all strained to listen to the long drawn out sounds of horns and low singing that echoed all around them.

"It's music." Cobb said. "Now's our chance. We have to wake up."

"How?" Arthur begged as he held the Architect's wounded body in his arms. "If I could wake up, I would have done it by now!"

The Point Man had never felt so helpless as bombs rained down on them. The Architect's broken, bleeding body cradled in his arms.  
>"Your medal." Ariadne croaked. He looked down at her. Her sweet face torn from the crash and covered in blood.<br>"What?" He asked smoothing her hair away from her face.

She shifted her weight and looked back at him.

"You told me once... that you would throw your medal into the river... if you could bring back those men. If you could bring everything back." She said feebly. "If you could end the war."

Arthur looked up at Cobb.  
>"It's mind over matter! It just might work." Cobb shouted at another wave of planes dropped more bombs. They were carpet bombing the city. Destroying it beyond all hope of being saved.<p>

Arthur carefully kept Ariadne's head up as he handed her over to the Doctor. The poor man was clueless as to what was really happening. The Point Man, still clothed the dress uniform he got married in, stood and walked slowly to the gap the bombing created in the bridge. His distinguished cross hung prominent in the center of his other medals. He remembered each and every one. Remembered how he got them. Remembered the faces of the men dieing around him.

How could all of that not be real?

Yet, it had to be. Anything had to be better then this. This world that was being torn apart by bombs like the rapture. His beautiful wife, dieing on the bridge. Any world was better then this.

He gave the cross one last look before throwing it into the river. The buzz of low flying planes swooping in and machine gun firing as he was certain his friends were being shot at behind him.

~ He awoke in the workshop. Yuseff was beside him in an instant.  
>"Finally." The Chemist said as he was checking the Point Man's pulse. Arthur looked around him. Cobb, Eames, Dax and the Doctor were slowly opening their eyes.<br>Arthur sat up and searched for her. Her small body hiding from him. A cough coming from beside Eames. Arthur stood to peer around the Forger to see Ariadne's large eyes, bright and alert. She was awake.


	18. Chapter 18

18.

~ "Well, he's in there." Yuseff said shining a pen light into the only one not to make it out of the dream. The man who had forced Arthur and Dax into the dream, was staring glass eyed at the rest of them, completely catatonic. Lost forever inside the world of Limbo.

"Who is he?" Cobb asked crossing his arms over his chest. A deep scowl setting over his handsome face.

"Herman Long." Eames said lifting his wallet. "Not a Nazi, but he does work for a pharmaceutical research group."

"Explains why he was wanting information about the stem cell research I was doing." the Doctor said running a cool cloth over his face. The Forger and Extractor had explained everything to the bewildered Doctor. "All this seems a little extreme don't you think?"

"Dream extraction is a new form of corporate espionage." Eames told him.  
>"We can teach your subconscious to defend it's self so in the future, you won't be vulnerable to attacks like this." Cobb added.<p>

"Why world war 2? Why that kind of dream?" The Doctor said.

"Arthur was the dreamer, he's a world war 2 buff. He thought that era could protect you better. Having Mr. Long here be a Nazi and the rest of us the Allies, that meant that you had an entire army to protect you." Dax explained gently.  
>"It felt so real while we were in there." The Doctor said shaking his head. "How can I be sure <em>this<em> is real?"

"Look for little things. Things no one but you knows about. Things like, a mole on your body no one has seen. Or the weight of an object or the feel of something." Eames told him.

"Over time, you'll feel it fade away like a normal dream." Cobb assured him.

"I don't know how to thank you fine young men." The Doctor said shaking their hands. "I would like to thank the lady and the Major, I'm sorry, I guess it's just Arthur." The Doctor said with a smile.  
>"The two of them are talking right now." Cobb said chancing a look over his shoulder. "I think they have a <em>lot<em> to discuss."

~ Ariadne was standing on her tip toes. Her bare feet and legs were strong and didn't hurt now that she had woken up. She slowly brought her heels back down and felt the coolness of the work shop floor. She sighed and was silently grateful both her legs worked perfectly. Just a few days in that cast had made her thankful for a body that was whole.

"Why are your shoes off? It's freezing in here." Arthur said coming into the room. They were in another part of the warehouse. Well away from Cobb and the others. Ariadne hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights when she retreated from the Team to collect herself.

"It's alright." She said numbly as the Point Man gave her a weary look. She sighed and slipped back into her shoes.

For at least ten heart beats, they said nothing. A silence that seemed to grow with each passing second.  
>"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked finally.<p>

"About what? It was just a dream. None of it was real. I was lost, so were you from what Cobb said. We weren't ourselves." Arthur said hiding his hands in his pockets. He looked angry and distracted. Not wanting to meet her in the eyes as he looked at anything but her.

"Arthur." Ariadne breathed. She was heartbroken. Surely he wasn't going to pretend he didn't remember himself in the dream. He had made love to her remembering who they both were in the real world.

"It was just a dream. We forgot who we were. We can't let this effect our working relationship." He said keeping his eyes away from her.

"That's fine." She said numbly. "We can still work together. Lets just not pretend we were _both_ lost on our wedding night."

"What do you mean?" Arthur said finally daring a look at her.

"You had your hair different. You slicked it back like you have it now, in the real world. You also said we meet in the workshop. In the dream, we met in the cafe." She took a deep breath and gathered all her courage. "You _remembered_ who you were right before you made love to me." She accused.

Arthur no longer avoided her gaze. He met her in the eyes and for an irrational moment, Ariadne thought he might hit her her.

"You didn't lose yourself? You remembered... who you were?" He asked. His voice shaking.  
>"No, I forgot after only one day." She said honestly. "I found my totem right before our... right before the wedding. I remembered then."<p>

"And you still went through with it?" He asked in disbelief.  
>"Why did you make love to me if you remembered who you were?" She asked not able to answer him.<p>

"Why did you let me if you remembered?" He retorted back.

She didn't respond. She turned away from him unable to answer. In truth, she didn't have an answer.

"You told me." he said finally. "You said in the dream... that after the war ended... that if I felt... differently about you. You said you would understand." He said with difficulty. The Point Man trying to catch each word before his own courage failed him. "I... um..."

But what he was, he never got a chance to tell her as Ariadne burst into tears.

**I will try to update very soon but my laptop has to go to computer hospital cuz it's acting like a little bitch. I will try and work on my husband's computer and post very soon. LOVE you guys.**


	19. Chapter 19

19.

~ As tradition, the Team scattered. Ariadne went back to her quite life as a student like nothing had happened. Yuseff and Eames dropped Herman Long at an emergency room miles out of the city and gave the man no more thought. Cobb went back to his children and Arthur vanished in the wind.

~ The Architect was lazily watching a documentary about the occupation of Paris. The film footage made her long to journey back into that world again. Seeing the Americans arriving in Paris to her happy citizens waving at them. The Red Cross nurses in their granny like uniforms. She couldn't help but laugh at the memory of all the underwear she had donned everyday like it was normal. How she had gotten used to it, and felt naked with just bra and panties under her too light clothes.

She was suddenly amazed at little things. At television, cars, buildings, fast food and the internet. How had she lived without them? Why did she miss the Paris she had dreamed of when she had the modern world at her finger tips?

She sighed and tried not to think about her Major. The way Arthur had been in the dream. So kind and courtly. How he had loved her so well, even though he was lost. How he had broken her heart when they woke up.

She stopped going to her classes and found her self pouring over research about the occupation. About the liberation of POW camps and the Red Cross nurses. Trying to relive her time in the dream. Trying to grasp that world again.

She couldn't help but day dream of her Major. Imagining him coming home a victorious war hero. Her leg would be healed by then, and he would take her away to some pristine little suburb where they would start their family.

It was a picture perfect, boring, little life that made her want to weep over the loss of it. But she didn't cry anymore. She didn't have enough tears left.

Arthur didn't love her. Like she feared in the dream, he had changed his mind once the war was over. Once they had woken up and were back in the real world.

~ Her cell phone rang and she saw that it was Cobb. She couldn't face the Extractor. She quickly turned her phone off and thought about moving so they couldn't find her. But she knew that was foolish, the Team, especially Arthur could always find her.

~ "She's still not picking up." Cobb said shoving his phone in his pocket. Eames sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "I told you we shouldn't have let them get married." Cobb barked at the Forger.

"Not my fault Arthur blew it." Eames said. "We need to go check on her." The Extractor said.

"She doesn't want to see us, Cobb." Eames said. "She's depressed. So is Arthur. You still can't get a hold of him most days, and when you do he's not pleasant."

"Miles says she hasn't been to class in two weeks." Cobb said.

The Extractor pulled out his cell phone again.

~ Arthur kept the shades drawn in his apartment. He couldn't find the energy to do anything lately. He couldn't cook for himself, shower or watch TV. He was staring at the ceiling and trying not to think about all he had lost.

When he woken up, when he chose to leave the dream, he lost everything. The real world was nothing compared to the dream he had left. He was not only haunted by the loss of his wife and the promise of their life together, but he couldn't shake the things he had seen in the war. The horrors of battles he had fought in still felt real. He could still see the faces of his men dieing. The camps he had helped to liberate. It all felt just as real to him as the waking world.

~ He was broken out of his trance when his cell phone rang rudely at his side. He summoned enough energy to look at the caller ID. Cobb was being persistent.

"What is it Cobb?" Arthur asked. His voice tired and raspy.

"Arthur, we can't get a hold of Ariadne." The Extractor said. "She stopped going to class."

Silence greeted the Extractor.

"Arthur, your closest to her. Can you go check on her? Make sure she's alright?" Cobb asked.

"Why don't you get Miles to check on her?" Arthur asked still staring at the ceiling.

"Because I'm asking _you_." Cobb said.

~ Ariadne was camped out on her sofa as the History Channel was showing yet another world war 2 documentary. She lived for these documentaries now. And was surprised that a knock on her door pulled her out of that world.

She unfolded herself from her blankets and spied out of her peep hole.

'_Arthur._' She rolled her eyes and debated whether or not to open it. She couldn't deal with the Point Man right now.

"Ariadne?" He called out. A sharp knock on her door again. She kept quite behind the door.

'_Maybe he'll think I'm not home._' She thought as she moved away from her door on silent feet.

"I know your in there. I heard your TV and I can see the shadow of your feet under the door space." He said.

She sighed cursing the Point Man's infernal logic and military thinking, she slid open the locks and opened her door.

Arthur looked awful. His normally pristine appearance was now wrinkled and his face looked like it hadn't been shaved in at least a few days.

"Cobb asked me to look in on you. You haven't been to class." He said not looking at her.

"I'm fine." Ariadne said trying to slam her door shut on him.

Arthur' strong body blocked her door from shutting and the Point Man barged in.

"I didn't say you could come in!" Ariadne said feeling her blood rise at the intrusion. Arthur looked around the living room and the documentary on TV. He said nothing, already knowing what was going on in her mind.

"I think we need to talk about this." He said with a deep sigh. "We've talked enough." She snapped feeling hostile to him.

She missed her Captain. Her Major. The sweet man who had brought her chocolate and took her to the movies. Who looked at his hat when he was nervous around her. Arthur was no longer the man she had fallen in love with.

"Alright fine." She said when it was clear he wasn't moving. "Tell me." She ventured. "Tell me, when did you come back to yourself? When did you remember who you really were?" She asked.

He was shaking his head. "That's not important." He said.

"Yes it is!" She almost screamed. "Because I could have lived very happily in that dream with you. Not _you_, but the man you were in that dream."

"I'm still that man." Arthur said in stunned disbelief. Shocked at what she had just told him. "You know, I miss that world too. I feel cheated out of it too." he said.

"When did you come back to yourself? Because I want to know when I lost the man I really loved." She not willing to be deterred.

Arthur was calm and collected.

"After I left you, after I had measured your finger for the ring." He said slowly. "I was in the jewelry shop and looking for the string. I found my dice."

"That was more then a day before the wedding." She said. "You remembered who you were and you married me?"

"You remembered who you were before the wedding. You married me. You made love with me." He said his voice shaky. The Point Man appearing on the verge of tears. "Why did you do that?"

She didn't have an answer for him. "We loved each other so well in the dream. When we were other people." She said tears welling up in her eyes. "Why is it so hard now?" She said feeling a certain hatred to him.

"Were still the same people." He told her. His long arms reaching for her as she moved away.

"You said your feelings had changed." She said coldly folding her arms around her chest.

"I know." He said softly. "I thought it might be easier for you if I told you that."

"Does it look like things have been easy?" She cried. Angry at herself for giving into her emotion.

She felt the tears escape from her eyes and run down her checks. Arthur's hands were on her face. His handkerchief dabbing away the tears.

"You know, I can take being shot at, stabbed, fighting Nazis and the loss of gravity in the dream. I can't handle a woman crying." He said with a forced laugh. "Especially not you."

She gave him a weary smile. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. It wasn't true." He admitted.

She nodded and allowed him to clear away the tears on her face. Allowed his body to move closer to hers.

"Did you mean what you said before?" He asked. "That you would have stayed in the dream?"

"With my Major." She clarified. "The man I fell in love with. The man who asked me to marry him, who took me to see '_Bambi_', who brought me chocolate and never said '_I told you so_'."

"Ariadne, I'm _still_ that man." He said earnestly. "I'm still the man who went to war, who led an army, who watched sunsets with you. Who asked you to marry me."

She said nothing and he sighed. "Are you still the girl in that red dress? The girl who went to the front no matter what I made her promise? Who helped sew up my cut? Who danced on my feet on our wedding night?" He asked.

She looked at him in surprise. Her mind recalling all of those things in perfect detail.

"Of course I am." She breathed.


	20. Chapter 20

20.

~ They had talked for a long time after that. Well after the sun had set and the documentary on TV went from World War 2 to more modern warfare.

"I hate to sound like an old man, but these new wars are just not for me." Arthur said as he untangled himself from Ariadne. The pair of them had curled up on her couch and avoided each others eyes as they watched the program and talked.

"Your leaving?" She asked as she watched the Point Man shrug back on his coat.  
>"I'll be back tomorrow." He assured her. We can go out or something if you want." He promised and was gone before she could say anything.<p>

~ Dax was in New York when he received a call from Arthur.

"Dax, remember when I saved you from those Nazis in the dream?" the Point Man asked.

"Arthur, it was less then a month ago." Dax said. "Course I remember."  
>"Well I need you to do something for me." Arthur said.<p>

~ Ariadne had finally taken the time to clean her apartment. It felt good to keep busy. To shower properly and wear clothing that didn't double as a pajamas. She had gone back to class only to find the homework she had neglected had plied up. To top it all off, her computer was on the fritz.

She suddenly longed for time travel. Where all she had to worry about was the war and getting killed. Where her day's only stress was incoming wounded. Then, her handsome officer would take her out as soon as her shift was over. She missed Trixie and the girl with glasses and her compact with Arthur's picture in it. Missed the Paris that she had dreamed.

She sighed and hated the sudden invasion of her 21st century cell phone ringing. She looked at the caller ID and was pleased to see it was Arthur.

"Ariadne?" He asked "Are you busy?"

"No, I was just... no I'm not busy." She said feeling taken off guard. She had just seen Arthur yesterday and hadn't believed him when he said he would come by tomorrow.

"Can you open your front door?" He asked.

"Why?" she asked feeling puzzled as she slid open the lock tumblers and saw the Point Man standing at her door. Glorious with a cleanly shaven face, smoothed back hair and commanding in his Air Force uniform.  
>"Lot of people forget I was in the military for six years." he said as an answer as he tucked away his cell phone and stepped inside.<br>"Air Force?" She said with an appreciative grin as she drank in the sight of him in the dark blue.

"Hey, don't knock the Air Force, they let you play with all the really cool stuff. I'll have you know I worked with NASA astronauts and NORAD." He said pretending to be offended. A smile on his face as he stood a little straighter. "We worked a lot of top secrets technology that makes the PASIV look like a rotary phone."

"Cool, you can fix my computer then." She said unimpressed.

~ Ariadne was quick to get dressed and was glad she had taken the time to go shopping that day. She had chanced upon a wonderful little shop in a fashionable section of the city that had vintage dresses and had quickly bought, and had taken in, a lovely red dress. The lacy bra, and matching underthings she had found at a rather trampy boutique, making her breasts swell out. The effect was startling as her dress almost seemed too tight against her body.  
>"Ariadne?" Arthur called out from her dinning room. The Point Man, still resplendent in his Air Force officer's uniform was looking over her laptop. "I'm afraid your going to need a new hard drive. We can get one when were out tonight and I can install it when we get home."<p>

"That's fine." She called out as she had to try and suck in her breasts to fit in the red dress. Praying the zipper would not split. "Hey, don't go looking at my browsing history." She said as she finished dressing and applied a bright red lipstick. Something else she had to buy special.

"Already did." Arthur's voice came back at her. "Very interesting stuff." He teased as she suppressed a laugh and ran a brush through her hair.

~ The Point Man was looking over the battered hard drive from her computer when the Architect emerged from her bedroom.

He lazily looked up and was forced to stand. His basic manners recalling to always stand when a lady entered the room. What a lady she was to. Her dress, a stunning vintage throw back from when women actually dressed like women. Not exactly the same era as the war years, but still, it flattered her beautifully. Her chest seemed fuller as it strained dangerously tight in the bust. Her beautiful lips were painted a bright red and her dark hair curled perfectly in soft waves.

"You look... um..." he stumbled and had to look at his shoes.

"Is that anyway to act Major?" She teased as she moved closer to him.  
>"It's um... it's Lieutenant Colonel... actually." He said shyly pointing at the silver leaf on his jacket. His eyes chancing a glance at her body so artfully presented in her red dress.<br>"Wow, now I'm impressed." She said with a smile. "You a little young for such a rank. Especially in peace time."  
>"Well, yes. Um, when you work on the kinds of projects I have, you... um...you get promoted very... um... quickly. Also, America isn't in peace time." He explained clumsily trying to avoid looking at her body. Praying she wouldn't catch his eyes flighting over her breasts.<p>

"Oh, that's right." Was all she said. She couldn't help but smile as she watched him become so nervous. Like he had been in the dream when they first met. She loved seeing his eyes steal glances at her body.

"Won't you get into trouble going out in uniform if your no longer in the service?" She asked.  
>"Maybe." he said with an exhausted laugh. His face tinting red. "Um... we have to get you a new hard drive." He said fumbling over the hard drive he pulled free from her computer. "I can replace it when we get home." he offered.<p>

"So where are you taking me anyway?" She asked pulling on her coat.

"You'll see." Arthur said. Sad to see her body covered up by the heavy wool coat.

~ The Lieutenant Colonel hailed them a cab and chivalrously saw his escort inside. The cabbie gave them a friendly nod in his rear view mirror and drove them to an older section of Paris. One that seemed untouched by the invasive modern world.

Ariadne recognized some of the streets. The hospital where she had worked at in the dream, now a museum, was coming into view.

"Arthur?" She questioned. "Where are we going?"  
>"You'll see." he teased at the cab was forced to drive slower over the tight little streets. Memories of the dream flooded her mind as she looked at the lovely buildings that had survived the war years beautifully.<p>

Night was falling over the city as the cab finally pulled up to an old theater. It's grandeur more of a novelty now as movie goers wanted large screens with 3D and surround sound. Not caring about elegant lobbies, beautiful scroll work on high ceilings and the romance of small theaters.

"Arthur." Ariadne said recognizing the theater. Her officer had paid the cabbie and opened the door, his large hand offering to help her out.

~ The theater was almost the same as it had been during the war. It's age showed in the graceful stair case that led to the balcony section and plush red carpet that ran wall to wall.

"It's new owners wanted to bring back the romance of the movies." Arthur whispered as a smart little gentleman at the ticket booth sold them tickets in the balcony to see '_Bambi_'.

"It's perfect." Ariadne whispered as she held tightly to his arm. Her gallant officer leading her upstairs to the empty theater.

The show was a privet. One which she could only guess must have cost Arthur a small fortune to rent as a privet showing. Ariadne need only close her eyes and she could recall meeting the other officers here from the dream. But this time, reality was better.

~ After the show, she begged Arthur to walk with her before he hailed a cab. They watched the city sparkle from the same bridge as before. The lights of Paris so much more profound then they were during the war. Arthur was holding her tightly, protecting her from the cold as she chanced a look at the old hospital.

She realized slowly that perhaps waking up, living in the real world, might just be better then the dream.  
>"We need to get going." Arthur said finally. "I still have to get your hard drive."<p>

"No." Ariadne said not wanting to break the spell with talk of modern technology. "No, let's just go home." She whispered in his ear.

~ Arthur, knowing exactly what she meant, hailed a cab.


	21. Chapter 21

**WARNING! EROTICA! Don't say I didn't warn you!**

21.

~ Arthur was grateful Dax had overnight-ed him his old uniform. When he had left the Air Force last year, he thought he was done with it. So many years of working with radical new technology made life interesting, but the gravity of that kind of work was dangerous and left him no time for a personal life. Something he sorely missed.

By comparison, Cobb and Mal's work in dream extraction was easier then training special operations soldiers and astronauts using dreams. It also afforded him the luxury to slow down in life. The greatest benefit of all, was meeting Ariadne.

Since this most recent dream had ended, a part of him yearned to be back in that life. It was a life he had done _very_ well in. One that he could have easily made a career at if he had wanted to. Still, the rewards in this line of work were far more impressive.

~ The Point Man wasn't sure what to do. Ariadne had told him to make himself comfortable while she went into her bathroom. He took off his coat and shoes. Carefully placing the pristine dark blue jacket on a chair back. Ever fastidious about keeping his clothing nice.

He hoped she meant what he thought she meant. That she had asked him back to her place to make love. His body ached for her. The vivid details of their coupling in the dream made him want more of her. Another aspect of feeling cheated out of a life with her.

He heard a door squeak and turned to see Ariadne. She was impossibly beautiful in a white, see through slip that revealed a matching laced up corset, bra, panties, garter belt and stockings.

"One of the thing I missed most in the dream was better underwear." She said leaning against the door. Confident that she could bring a man to his knees.

"Oh." Was all he managed to say as he couldn't take his eyes off her. His gaze fixated on the swell of her cleavage. That beautiful secret place he had coveted all evening.

"I wish I had something like this on our wedding night." only to look embarrassed as she fumbled. "In... in the dream, I mean." She corrected. Arthur reached her in two of his long graceful strides.

"You looked beautiful then, you look look beautiful now." He told her sincerely.

~ Ariadne was feeling as content as she could ever dare to hope. Arthur lips were grazing down her leg, his nimble fingers unfastening the clips of the guarder belt without even looking. Her silk stockings melting down her leg with his slow insistent pulling.

She had to suppress a giggle as she laid comfortably in her bed. Her officer had swiftly carried her to bed and easily laid her down. His meticulous nature reverberating down to her undressing. She thought, but never utter a whisper, about what Eames had said in the dream. About how a man never gets tired of undressing a woman. Tonight, she intended to put that theory to the test. It had taken her a long time to lace herself up and pin everything down, only to have Arthur undo all her work.

Still, she could not argue with the racing of her heart that fled all the way down to her core. A ravenous tingling sensation igniting in between her legs as Arthur was kissing her now exposed flesh. Her scarcely worn stocking, casually tossed aside on the floor.

~ Arthur was in heaven. He hadn't been lying that she had looked beautiful on their wedding night, cast and all. But seeing her in this decadent state of sheer fabric, lace and lacing made his knees quiver. He kissed the precious little flesh he was afforded as he pulled off her stocking. Catching her lovely face blushing hard and trying not to smile.

Even her skin tasted good.

The flesh of her legs was smooth, rich and fragrant from some well mixed oils and lotions. Her scent that, animal like, caused Arthur to stir at his mate in heat.

It was with a tortured slowness he undressed her. His hands roaming up her leg like he had exposed a forbidden part of her body. He could sense her breathing pick up, see her chest rise and fall as his hands and lips explored her knee, her calf, her ankle.

He quickly snapped off the guarder pins of her other stocking and rolled it down as his lips kissed her inner thigh before nipping her gently with his teeth.

Ariadne jumped back and her breathing quickened. Her eyes lighting up with fear and excitement.  
>"Sorry about that." he growled. "You just taste too good."<p>

She said nothing as his well trained fingers pulled at the bow of her corset. An intricate labyrinth of silk cords holding it together. A maze that he had to solve to expose her to him.

He was slow and careful in his work as she lay back and allowed him to proceed. The small bite he had given her before made her more complacent somehow. He legs squirming as the wrathful hunger in her sex was crying out for feeding.

She felt her breathing was hard and labored as the stays on her corset were finally loosened. Arthur, was pulling out the silk cords holding it closed one by one. As if it were a shoe he wished to change the lacing of. It was efficient, but agonizingly slow work.

She wanted to scream at him to just pull down her panties and take her already. She knew he was ready. His pants doing nothing to hide his arousal from her.

Her poor, thin panties were a sudden source of embarrassing wetness. The lace around her legs, while sexy, only proved to rub her folds in a wonderful yet maddening way.

She tried to breath as she felt her Officer pull the last of the stays free and gently pull off her corset.

The heady rush of air on her newly exposed belly made her feel naked. Arthur's hot, wet mouth was on the flesh he had just laid bare. She gasped helplessly at the contact. Her teasing under garments had served as some symbol of cover, now, her body was clad in nothing more then bra and panties. Her guarder belt useless and her sheer slip had been shed long before he even started on her stockings.

She felt him nip her flesh again and gasped. Her body squirming as the force between her legs suddenly ripped through her. Making her spasm involuntarily. Arthur's strong body corralled her back under him again and laid her, still panting, back in bed.

"Sorry about all the biting. It's not my fault you taste so good." He said savagely as his mouth returned to her stomach. His tongue roaming over her belly button.

"Art-" She tried to say as his hot breath moved over her left breast. Inadequately protected by her sheer bra. His lips and not his hands nuzzled down her bra strap as he kissed the skin barely concealed there. Ariadne biting her lip as he rested his body with hers. Her legs, finally having something to do, encircling his waist. Her sex, neglected and starving bucked up to feel the contact of his hardness. Pleased that she could feel the ridged standing of his member.

"Now is that anyway for a lady to act?" Arthur teased. His breath in her ear, she felt herself melt into her bed from the excitement of it.

Her hips ignored his chastisement and continued to pull his lower body to her. Wanting to feel him, wanting some kind of satisfaction from him. Her wetness crying out for that hardness she knew was meant for her.

"Arthur..." She gasped. "Arthur... _please_."

"You started this." He teased as his fingers pulled down her other bra strap and undid the pink bow that closed her bra at the front. Her breast's lacy enclosure separated and he kissed the opening. Her beautiful cleavage had fascinated him all evening long and he wanted to claim it almost more then anything else. Almost.

She could do little more then lay back and suffer as her Officer took his time and pulled one breast free, kissed it, licked it, and made her moan. After that abuse, he pulled the other breast free, repeating the processes. His lips seeming to suckle harder on her nipples.

She felt she had had become the victim of a sadist. The way he skillfully removed each article of clothing made her crazed with want.

At last her breasts were free. Now, all he had to do was strip her of those dam panties and he would have no more excuses.

She felt her body squirm again as another fit of want tore though her and made her claw as his belt and pants. She wanted him, even if she had to force him.

But he was one her, cat like, and wouldn't allow her harassed assault.

"You behave yourself." He waned.

She briefly wanted to hit him. Here she was, laying there in bed, her delicate bra still hanging on her shoulders. Her breasts were presented for his use, her panties wet from her desire and he did nothing to satisfy her.

"Please." She begged in her most pitiful voice. Her pleading was answered by a sharp, painless slap to her wetness. Her sex bud, already agitated and swollen, sent a shock wave of horrible pleasure to her body that made her stiffen and her eyes widen.

"I _said_, behave yourself." he warned again. His tone was all officer. The same tone he used with his men in the dream. The tone of a commander who was strict in discipline and punishment. Ariadne felt light headed from excitement as she tried to calm down.

Her lover was traveling down her body then as his hands, lips and teeth sampled her skin. Finally reaching her soaking panties, he grazed a hand over what must have been a noticeable heat emanating from between her legs, to her guarder belt.

'_Oh just ignore that!_' She wanted to scream as he carefully unclasped the belt and slowly stripped it away. At last, _at last_, he was at her panties. Fabric and lace that only hid the barest of things from him. His fingers caressing her folds over her underwear as she was forced to keep her hands at her side and squirm. The fabric acting like a barrier that rubbed and irritated the already sensitive skin.

She had never felt so out of control. He breathing and moaning seeming to feed her Officer as his thumb ruthlessly rubbed her tender sex bud. A happy sparkle in Arthur's eye as he watched her suffer.

"I would... I would love...keep this up all night, Beautiful." He panted. His voice raspy and horse. "But I don't think I can last much longer." He confessed.

With a sharp pull, her soaking wet panties were stripped off her butt, down her legs and off her ankles.

Ariadne had never felt so naked.


	22. Chapter 22

22.

~ The Architect was breathing hard as she lay completely naked on her bed. Her Officer, Arthur, ridding himself of his dress shirt, and pants. His erection clearly evident through the thin fabric of his boxers.  
>"Arthur." She begged helplessly as he glanced at her. His face was hard and unforgiving.<p>

"Keep you hands to your side." he warned. Without realizing it, her hand had wandered over her swollen desire, stroking herself. A feeble attempt to keep the hunger she felt at bay.

She guiltily returned her hands to her side. Her teeth chewing on her lower lip as she watched him rid himself of all his clothes. His impressive erection freed and hard against his belly. His eyes, only for her as he climbed back over her again. She squealed in delighted terror as she felt his lips on her wetness. Ignoring what must a violent need of his own, he elected to torment her sex further still.

His breath, lips and tongue dancing unmercifully over her ravenous desire. Delving deeply over her sensitive areas and making her hips buck upwards. Kissing and stoking her sex, her body tensing under his breath.

~ Arthur was smiling as he lightly kissed her soft belly. His lips leaving her sex, now ready to be claimed, and traveling to her breasts. Her face, her beautiful face, was lost to him. Her eyes were closed and her teeth nibbling hard on her lower lips as she tried to breath. He was kissing her delicate nipples as a moan escaped from her lips.

"I meant what I said." he said hoarsely. Her eyes flicking open as he was unwrapping a condom and easily sliding onto his hard member.  
>"What?" She gasped. Her head spinning from his attentions. "What did you mean?"<p>

"At the reception, after our wedding. I meant it when I told you I loved you. I married you in the dream because I love you." He said.

Ariadne's hand wandered over her breast as she took in what he was saying. Her memory flickering back to he simple yet perfect reception they had in the dream. She blushed and smiled as she felt his hands moved between her legs. Parting them and rubbing her excited heat.

He was kissing her heatedly as he rolled his lean body on top of hers. She could feel the hardness of him against her belly as she spread herself wide for him. Grateful she no longer had that hated cast and her body was whole and viable to him.

"I love you to." She whispered. "I would have stayed in the dream with you." She confessed into his kiss. "I love you so much, I would have stayed. I would have forgotten myself again."

"We can't live in dreams." Arthur said as his lips danced blazing hot over her neck. "We have to make reality better." He told her before he sank himself into her.

Her sex was ready for him, but his shaft's hardness and size made her gasp as her passage felt every inch of him. She couldn't help but close her eyes as he started rocking himself in and out of her. Her skin felt like it was on fire as it melded with his flesh. His lips exciting her as he kissed her all over her body. Her moaning seeming to drive him further on.

Suddenly, she felt a stirring in her that she hadn't expected. Despite her loving all that her Officer was doing. His heated kiss sucking her nipples, his hips grinding satisfyingly into her, she wanted more.

~ To Arthur's shock and delighted surprise, his lovely Ariadne had managed to use her healthy legs to roll him on his back. He was panting as he watched his lover moved over him. Her kiss assaulting his body as she kissed his stomach. Her hot skin on his, made his need for her hurt with it's raging insistence.

He drank in the beauty of her as she wrapped her small hands around his shaft. Her legs straddling him as she sank onto his erection slowly.

She went in deep. His member exploring depths of her passage he had been afraid to journey to before. She looked too beautiful to be allowed. Surely, he did not deserve this lovely, magical nymph. She was naked and straddled on him and she started rocking her hips and body over him. His hunger growling at the pleasure his mate incited in him.

He could do little more then watch her body move up and down over him. Her body, beautiful with the richness of youth and womanhood, rode him effortlessly. Her breasts moving up and down with her movement. They were so round and perfect he could only watch their wonderful movements as she rode him.

His hands were clasping around her hips and her waist as she bucked herself on him. Drawing from him all that she wanted. He hadn't realized he was groaning happily until she had leaned down to kiss him.

"Do you want me to stop?" She asked. All he could do was shake his head and pull her body to him. Wanting to feel her naked breasts on his skin again. Wanted her close to him again.

"No, don't ever stop." He begged as he could feel his own hips buck upward. Forcing her on a harder ride as he sensed his completion was coming near.

"You looked so beautiful tonight." He was moaning as he felt his desire spiral out of control. She was panting and moaning hard. Her body tensing up as he knew an orgasm rocked her small body. She was turning limp and still he pounded himself into her. "I meant what I said, about the war being over, we could have the wedding you want." He groaned as he felt his body lose control and come.

~ "I still don't see why I have to marry you just to get what I want." Ariadne said as they were cuddled into her bed. She was nursing a spoonful of chocolate ice cream and gave her Officer a teasing look. Arthur only smiled and kissed her shoulder.

"This conversation sounds familiar." He said with a laugh.

After they had made love, they showered and retreated to bed for the night. Their bodies spent and exhausted. Their sleep so heavy, they dreamed of nothing. They woke up in the middle of the night to watch old movies and eat ice cream.

"I love Casablanca." Ariadne said looking at Humphrey Bogart smoothly seducing the ladies in his _Cafe Americana_. "Something about well dressed, confident, chivalrous men. I've always loved them for some reason."

"Stop changing the subject." Arthur fussed taking her spoon away and rolling on top of her. She giggled.

"I can't see the movie!" She cried helplessly despite her smile.

"Are you going to marry me or not?" Arthur asked. His eyes hard and insistent on her as she couldn't stop the blush from coming to her face.

"This isn't war time." She said as an answer. "What's the rush?"

"You married me just because it was war time?" Arthur asked amused.  
>"No." She said honestly. "It was the uniform! Also, getting married was a good excuse to get you to go to bed with me." She teased.<p>

"So it was the uniform? I knew it." He smiled as he smothered her laughing lips with kisses.

"I really would have stayed in the dream with you." She whispered when their kissing had finally waned away slightly. A blush creeping up her cheeks.  
>"I would have stayed in the dream with <em>you<em>." He whispered back. His hand running over her dark hair.

"A part of me... it really misses that life." She whispered. Half fearful of admitting the truth.

"I know, me to." He said gazing down at her. "I can see us, living that life. Raising a family, growing old. But none of it would be real. We can't live like that. It would be impossible."

She nodded and looked sad for a few moments. Her Officer kissing her. Breaking her out of her memories.

"Say your going to marry me 'doll face'." He whispered and she grinned.

"Alright." She whispered.

**~ This story was inspired by the book "Bronze Horseman" by Paulina Simmons. A wonderful WW2 love story. If you like Arthur, you will ****love**__**Alexander. I started to read it and could not put it down! I'm on the third book right now. **

** I want to thank all my readers but most especially Feng Han who did art work for this story. I was so happy to see fan art for one of my stories. I was just dancing! I've included a link to the artwork and I think it's just lovely and I would LOVE to see more! **

**.com/?qh=§ion=&q=reynaile#/d4ss4ig**

**If you have trouble getting to the link, it's deviantart and the artist name is Reynaile. **

** Thank so much to all who read my work. **

** I've been getting a lot of messages that some of you are not ready to say goodbye to 1940's Arthur. So I may write something that continues the story of them in WW2, only it's not a dream. I have a few ideas. Let me think about it. **


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